Things Change
by BluWine
Summary: WillOC, AU :: Will Turner has long been in love with Elizabeth Swann but now she's married to Norrington leaving him broken... But add Patricia, the best friend who's always waited for him, a pirate and a long lost treasure and things just... change.
1. prologue

This is my first attempt at a Pirates fanfic. Probably will be my only attempt because I love that movie so much that to tamper with the already awesome plot would be a sin. *laughs*

Title: Things Change

Author: BluWine

Rating: pg-13 mostly for my random lovey-dovey crap but a few moments. *evil grin* For those who've read my other story know that I have a tendency to add extra scenes in certain places and because of the recent NC-17 ban on ff.n I just have a link to take to other places.

Summary: Will Turner has been long in love with Elizabeth Swan but her marriage *in here she's already married* to Norrington has caused him a lot more heartbreak than he bargained for. Now he only has his long time friend Patricia Taylor there for him slowly helping to heal his broken heart and maybe help him to love once more. *Jade... if you read this, isn't that the most original name?!? (laughs) well it works with the story!*

Prologue:

Will Turner stood at the outskirts of the crowd, dressed in his most formal clothing. Port Royale's aristocrats gathered in front of the church as the wedding bells rang through the town. Will leaned against the tree he was hidden beside. A tear fell from his cheek as he watched Elizabeth Swan walk regally down the church steps, her head held high and smiling. He never saw her more beautiful in her white wedding dress and with Commodore Norrington latched at her arm.

"Why couldn't you see me?" he whispered. His heart was tearing at the sight of his love in holy matrimony with another man but he couldn't stop watching her.

"Because she's a blind idiot..." Will turned and saw his friend, Patricia Taylor watching the festivities, wearing her loose dirty dress, her hair a mess and her face smudged with the ash from the blacksmith shoppe. Will didn't want to sound terrible in the least because he's known Patricia for as long he knew Elizabeth (His heart contracted in pain again.) and she was a precious friend but he looked her over in disapproval. If she didn't get her act together soon, she would find herself without a husband for the rest of her life.

"I would be perfectly more comfortable if you stopped insulting my taste in women," Will glared then turned back to watch Elizabeth board a carriage to take her to a ship which would in turn carry her to some remote island. It was Governor Swan's wedding gift: a week's vacation away from Port Royale, its people and Will Turner. 

"WOMAN, Will," she teased. "WOMAN. You have no right to make that word plural in the light of the fact that your taste has been limited to ONE WOMAN." She sat herself down on the grass and watched the carriage drive two blocks and stop at the port of His Grace's ship the Meridian. "You have GOT to be joking! A beautiful carriage used for something that could be walked in two minutes. C'mon Will, you have to admit that THAT was too over the top." But Will was only too ready to defend Elizabeth's wedding, even if it wasn't him as the groom.

"Elizabeth is too beautiful in that dress to risk it being soiled by mud on the roads," he snapped. "And those roads aren't worthy of being stepped on by someone as extraordinary as she." Patricia turned to glare at him.

"Elizabeth is not an all-holy angel, Will. Come to terms that she DID save you from the wreck of your ship but PLEASE realize she IS human." Will just sat down on the grass knowing that it would be another conversation between him and Patricia... or argument really, where they would disagree about Elizabeth and he would try to justify his love for her while she won against every single one of his reasons.

"You're just jealous that she has a gorgeous wedding and will live far along better than you ever will with a husband, and with the way you look now, you'll probably never even have a beau," he said bitterly. He immediately regretted his words as he turned and saw Patricia's eyes staring at him hurt clearly written in them. "I'm sorry... I REALLY didn't mean that."

"It's all right... I know you didn't," she whispered before turning away still looking wounded. "But I don't say what I say because of jealousy." She carefully worded it because she didn't want to lie... because she really was jealous. She was jealous of Elizabeth and angry with her for not seeing that Will was more than twice the man that Norrington could ever be. It was Will who could love her more... and she was jealous because she wasn't the object of William Turner's affection the way he was hers. 

"Then why do you say it?" The sun was beginning to set and the ship was tugging away, the bride and groom were waving farewell to the crowd.

"William, please recover of her," she pleaded. "It's her loss that she married some man who wears a WIG for goodness sake.  You are so much better that Commodore Norrington. He's a stupid twit. You, on the other hand..." Patricia put a hand to his cheek and turned his face towards her. Will saw her smiling proudly at him with tears in her eyes. "You have grown to be an intelligent, wise, kind, gentle, and INCREDIBLY good looking young man." Will blushed in the darkness as Patricia laughed. "And I know that what I just did was inflate your already enormous ego and something I had always sworn against doing but all that was true. ANY woman would have the honor of having you beside them for the rest of her life. The fact that Elizabeth Swan didn't see that is just proof that there's a flaw in her. I love you too much to watch you hurt by someone not worthy of you." 

Will just looked at Patricia, gratefully. He wouldn't survive without her support and he knew it. He held Patricia to his chest sighing his thanks. 

"You are an unbelievable friend, Patricia Taylor," he murmured. "And yes you did inflate my ego a bit back there but NO it was not already enormous." Patricia laughed into his chest and turned to see the ship disappearing into the horizon. Will followed her gaze and they watched silently until the ship was nothing but a memory against the darkened sky now decorated with starlight. "In fact, with our current situation, in might have been at its lowest point."

"Come one, Will," she said standing and pulling him up. "Time to return to work. The navy has yet to receive their order of rapiers." Will smiled down at her and he put a hand on the small of her back and held her on their way back to the blacksmith shoppe.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:  
  
Patricia couldn't sleep that night as she tossed and turned in her bed. Beside her room, she could feel Will staring at his ceiling thinking about Elizabeth again. Overcome by frustration, Patricia threw the cover over her head and snuggled against the wall letting her tears go unchecked down her cheeks.  
  
"Stupid Will Turner," she whispered. "Both you and Miss Swan really are perfect for each other. Both of you can't see that people that love you and care most about you are right in front of your eyes." She quietly sobbed herself into sleep, realizing that for the last month she had been using the sound of herself weeping as a lullaby.  
  
'I think I'm reaching my breaking point,' she thought before slipping into restless slumber.  
  
The week had gone by quickly and Patricia was so happy to see that Will had turned his energy away from weeping over his beloved Elizabeth and onto more productive things... like the sudden custom order of two swords that would probably take a week each to complete when they only had two days and another order of a hundred swords for a French ship coming to pass called L' Mer Rouge. It was only by lucky chance that they already had seventy some swords left already made in their possession.  
  
Will was returning from the market his arms filled with bags for the next two or three days. As he walked nearer to the shoppe, for they lived above it, he saw man from L' Mer Rouge enter the shoppe. Will saw that he didn't even bother knocking and just entered the building.  
  
'How many times have I told that girl to lock the damn door?' he thought. Just as he reached it, he realized it WAS locked. At least, NOW it was locked. He was about to knock but as he heard their voices clear through the door, he couldn't help but eavesdrop. He didn't know what the point was though because his French was EXTREMELY bad.  
  
"Comment-allez vous, Monsieur Toulouse?" she said, bringing her father's old friend. "Vous avez été bien, j'espère?"  
  
"Oui, mademoiselle. L'océan a été beau le passé peu de semaines. Et vous?" he replied.  
  
"Même comme toujours, Toulouse." She sighed as she sat down beside him. Toulouse looked at her sadly.  
  
"S'il vous plaît, me dire, que votre jeune ami anglais est venu finalement au sien sent?"  
  
"NoNo.. Et je commence à croire cela pourra ne m'aimera jamais,," she murmured. Will pricked his ears up a bit more trying to understand what they were saying especially now that his name had been mentioned. "Son coeur couche avec Elizabeth. Je ne pourrais jamais la remplacer."  
  
"Faire ne vous dites pas cela, Patricia," the man scolded her. "you Vous êtes une belle jeune femme.. Vous avez juste besoin de le MONTRER."  
  
"Que lui montrer-il?!? Je suis sans aucun doute pas beau..."  
  
"Telle négativité. Le nouveau Contre-amiral couple célèbre leur retour avec un rassemblement une demain nuit. Pourquoi faire je n'invite pas le deux de vous venir."  
  
"J'ai à rien ne porter Toulouse. Je ne pourrais pas probablement..."  
  
"Vous faites maintenant. Venir au bateau demain matin. Mon serviteur, Maríe, vous habillera. Nous avons quelques-uns s'habille de la France. .."  
  
Will stood back up, suddenly ashamed of what he might have heard. He didn't understand almost everything. Only bits like he loves Elizabeth, Patricia saying she wasn't beautiful and a party the next day. He sighed and gently rapped on the door and Patricia opened it smiling. The man behind her was grinning at the table.  
  
"Will Turner, the man of the hour," Toulousse greeted laughing, heartily. Will then recognized the man who visited Patricia before her father had died. "I am Toulouse, a friend of your miss here."  
  
"Glad to meet you," he smile weakly, putting his bags down on the table.  
  
"As you are here, William, I'd like to invite you to the Norrington household tomorrow," Toulousse said. Will gritted his teeth and forced a smile.  
  
"I think I'm rather busy these days, sir. I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to make it," Will lied. He would rather rot in hell than step in that house. He turned and saw Patricia turning red as she pushed the coals of the furnace to heat more.  
  
"Nonsense. I order you to come," he announced. "You shall escort Miss Taylor..."  
  
"Please Toulousse, I'll hear no more of this talk. Will and I have too much to work on. Our schedule is already overflowing especially with your fleet ordering more and more swords and with the new farming season, we now have a hundred more sets of horseshoes to make. We've been working all of the past week with no rest. We need to finish," Patricia interrupted. Will then realized that it was true that for the past week they've been working without stop. In fact for the last month they've been working and he felt guilty because he knew that he was depriving Patricia of leisure time. She was always working with him so he would never have to be alone and he'd have someone to talk to.  
  
"Actually, why don't we go?" Will murmured. Patricia turned at him in surprise.  
  
"But Will, Commodore Norrington and his WIFE will be there," Patricia said. "Are you sure?"  
  
"If I come will you be there?" he asked. She nodded silently. "Then I'll be fine." Toulouse laughed heartily.  
  
"Agreed then. Patricia I shall see you tomorrow morning and young Turner, tomorrow night. Now I must take my leave upon your house." He bent down and gave Patricia a kiss on the cheek before nodding his farewell to Will. "Good evening to you both." He stepped out into the darkening streets and Will watched him until his silhouetted disappeared into black.  
  
"Will, you don't have to go," Patricia said putting away the items he brought home. "In fact, you shouldn't . Elizabeth will be there." Will sat down on the table and watched her move about the shoppe. He thought silently to what she had said and decided to not let Elizabeth's presence be any interference to their night tomorrow.  
  
"It shouldn't matter now," Will replied. "She's married and even farther from my reach. We cannot be together and I don't think that the Fates are that cruel. If she's married to Norrington, then it must mean that I have someone else to love."  
  
"Yes," she murmured, suddenly in thought. "Yes, you're right..."  
  
"How about you? Do YOU want to go?"  
  
"Of course. Not very many blacksmiths' apprentices get to come to a party such as that. Of course, I want to go," she grinned. "But it's about you, not me." Will frowned at her.  
  
"With you, why is it always about me? You have wasted the last month entirely on just making sure I'm not sulking over Elizabeth. You need to stop caring for me. Will you please be selfish for once?" She just laughed at him and began setting the table for supper.  
  
This is just turning out not too badly though I have to say that the readers with If Only you loved Me will be a little mad because I have yet to finish that story. If those who read that story are reading this now please know that IOYLM is almost finished so I thought it was safe to make a new story. It was just something I thought I could handle since the story is near the end. 


	3. Chapter 2

Hehe. Here's Chapter 2!! Kind of excited that this story is doing well in my head. I really didn't expect many people to read this story but I guess they did because people made me happy and reviewed a lot yesterday!  
  
Another thing is that my first reviewer *grin* Love You for reviewing... *grin* she asked if Jack Sparrow would be in this particular fic. But of course he will be! What's a Pirates of The Caribbean fic without dear ole Jack there to make you laugh with his mad antics? **here's to high hopes that I CAN make you laugh because that is yet to be seen.**  
  
ONE LAST NOTE, promise! My French got messed up last chapter. I finally got my 'teacher' to help me out. AKA mah brother, genius that he is and I'm in the process of fixing it as best as I can. Just pardon the bad translations I did.  
  
Chapter 2:  
  
Will found it strange that he didn't wake up to Patricia making a harsh and loud racket the next morning. Usually he'd lie in his bed while the dawn started to creep into his room and chuckle silently as Patricia tried her hardest on working alone on some orders. Unfortunately, as much as she was a wonderful helper and could actually make some of the best products from the shoppe, she made a lot of noise and looked so animated if she did it on her own. If he was there with her, she'd be a bit more serene but if Will decided to just watch her in the early mornings as he did often behind the crack of the door, he would have quite a show as Patricia simultaneously to make tea, blades, and biscuits and managed to make all of them relatively well. He looked at his ceiling in wonder of her multi-tasking skills.  
  
"Maybe that's why she's so good at sword fighting..." he murmured, smiling. He stretched out on his bed and sat up as his arm reached to grab a new white shirt hanging on the chair. He took a whiff of it and realized that Patricia had washed it. He put it on and walked downstairs expecting to find her at the table sipping some drink she concocted but she wasn't there.  
  
"Patricia?" he called looking around for her but only found a letter on the counter by a plate of food.  
  
Will, Toulousse asked me to the ship for the day and I accepted. He thinks it'll take me a WHOLE day to ready for that party! Am I THAT hard to make decent enough to go to that stupid party?!? Well, I'll be out all day so I made you breakfast and you're on your own for lunch. I'll meet you over at the Commodore's house (why do I want to say 'of torture'?) at about eight o' clock. Don't be late! Your formals are hanging in my room. I cleaned them last night. And the invitation is here as well so use that as your ticket inside. Love Always, Patricia  
  
Post Script... If you choose not to show up, I would understand.  
  
He turned over the paper and saw a gold-embossed invitation attached to the back. He tugged slightly on the envelop and scanned the invitation, feeling his stomach nauseating as he saw Elizabeth's name attached to Norrington. He looked over to the P.S. on Patricia's letter and just pushed the nausea aside.  
  
"This is to make sure I'll get over her," he murmured, before turning to eat his food and returning to the work still to be done for the day.  
  
***  
  
Patricia walked out of the shoppe locking the door behind her as she walked through Port Royale's streets on the way to the port. As she rounded a corner, she saw a sleeping figure on the next block half hidden by barrel's standing by some stores. As she drew nearer she saw that it was a man in shabby clothing, his black hair twisted and tied about in beads, holding his hat in what seems like an iron grip. Patricia stopped as she saw him, biting her lip. He looked homeless. She gently remembered about the days before she was taken into the blacksmithe shoppe when her father had died. She was just as without shelter as that man and she felt like she had to help him.  
  
Patricia down beside the man and her breath caught. Regardless of his dirty state and the kohl-shaded eyes, he was actually quite handsome. She was about to reach down and wake him up when suddenly his arm shot out and grabbed her hand.  
  
"What do you think you're doing, love?" the man grinned. "Not too wonderful an idea to be kneeling down besides strange men at such early hours."  
  
"I... I was..." Patricia's heart was beating rapidly as she tried to speak. His sudden awareness took her by surprise and had scared the living daylights out of her.  
  
"You were what, dear?"  
  
"I..." Her eyes went down to his wrist and saw a burned mark and a tattoo. "A sparrow?" She looked at him strangely. "Are you Jack Sparrow?"  
  
"I gather you heard of me..."  
  
"Of course, I have! My father told me the most marvelous stories about the daring Jack Sparrow, the greatest pirate of the Caribbean!" Jack laughed at the girl's excitement in meeting him. He looked her over, and smirked.  
  
'It's been quite awhile,' he thought, his body stirring at the sight of her breasts. 'Maybe this one will...'  
  
"Are you really him?" she asked, interrupting his thoughts.  
  
"But of course, love. And what might your name be?" She stood up and helped Jack stand as well. His body staggered for a second as if rotating on his ankles.  
  
"My name is Patricia Taylor. Would you care for a drink?" Her hand still held his as she pulled him to a 24 hour pub down the street.  
  
"Aww, you shouldn't have dearie."  
  
Patricia grinned at her luck. To finally meet the man her father raved about when she was younger was like having her father back before... before the accident that she didn't want to think about at that moment. She just watched Jack stagger through the streets as if drunk though she couldn't smell that much alcohol on him.  
  
As they got in a booth, Patricia sat back on her seat across him she realized that many on the pub patrons were staring at them. She frowned and realized she was the only female in the room.  
  
"Jack, hide that tattoo..." she said under her breath as his sleeve fell back while he drank a cup of hot coffee revealing the picture of a bird.  
  
"And why should I, Tricia?" He put his arm down and reluctantly followed her advice.  
  
"Pirates are not well-taken... anywhere in British waters." Jack laughed, heartily.  
  
"That's what makes a pirate quite so fun. Just the fact that your existence annoys half of Great Britain's empire leaves a bit of satisfaction in yah." He toasted her with his mug as she giggled.  
  
"I'm on the other half. I happen to LIKE pirates." She smiled at him as she saw him wink. "My... friend... Will, doesn't think too highly of you though. He has the same ideas of pirates as does the British fleet." Jack saw the moment of emotions flash in her eyes when he mentioned the boy's name.  
  
"Will... What be his whole name, peach?" he asked.  
  
"Will Turner." Jack choked mid-swallow of his drink. He looked at her surprised.  
  
"Will Turner? That will be short for William, I measure. Good, strong name. No doubt, named for his father, right? " he asked thinking pensively.  
  
"If you mean if he was named after his father, then yes." Jack leaned back, thoughtfully. As if Patricia could read his mind, she said, "Would you like to meet him?" Jack leaned in again, his face an inch from hers.  
  
"Would that be too much trouble?"  
  
"Not at all. There's a party tonight. He'll be there as shall I. I was just on my way to get ready when I passed by you. Would you like to escort me to the occasion?" she asked her eyes gleaming.  
  
"But of course, my lady," he answered taking her hand and pressed his lips on it. She blushed and snatched her hand away.  
  
"You'll need some other clothing. It's at the commodore's house and pirates are not exactly welcome," she frowned. "You'll have to come with me to the French ship. Toulousse wouldn't mind you. In fact, he'll be ecstatic to meet you. Just don't let the other sailors know who or WHAT you are."  
  
"Don't worry, love. I trust you can hide that little 'flaw' in my resume." He grabbed at two loaves of bread and took large bites from them. He grinned at her showing his teeth and she good-naturedly cringed as she spied the bits of bread in his teeth.  
  
"That's disgusting, Jack," she snickered.  
  
"Says you," he quipped. "But I do beg your pardon on my lack of table etiquette." She just shrugged and watched him devour and finish his meal. She beamed at him and finally stood up when he was done.  
  
"You eat quite a lot. Well, I guess it's time to go to the ship. I'm late enough as it is."  
  
"Which ship?"  
  
"L'Mer Rouge," she answered.  
  
"Then I shall lead the way, m'lady." He started walking out of the door but stopped so suddenly in mid-step that he leaned over as if almost falling then righted himself. He turned and winked at Patricia. "But not without my effects." He grabbed the hat he left on the table as well as his belt and then continued his walk out with Patricia laughing as she followed.  
  
***  
  
Okay.. that was the second chapter. I had like how much reviews in ONE day that I just HAD to force myself to work and get this thing done so I could make YOU reviewers happy because y'all made my day yesterday. Sheesus Jack is one HARD character to put out. I'll work on him, don't worry, if you think he was god-awful here. It was the first time I ever tried writing him. *grin* Will someone PLEASE enlighten me on Norrington's first name?!?!  
  
"That still doesn't explain why the rum is gone!" - Capt. Jack Sparrow 


	4. Chapter 3

Things Change  
  
An: I need to slow down with the updating... It's been almost one a day but I have this story perfectly laid out until a chapter or two from now so I'll just do this on whatever pace I have with this story. Sometimes I'll be on a typing rampage where I have a chapter a day or I'll slow down like my other story and drop a chapter ever couple of weeks. At least once a month though. I promised myself I wouldn't slack off so much that it takes over-a-year to complete a story. But anyways.. here is...  
  
Chapter 3:  
  
Will ended his work just as the sun was burning out making him light a candle in the darkness. While he cleaned up, he looked out the window toward the billowing sails of the ships in the port and begged to see Patricia walking up the alleyways so that he wouldn't have to start the night without her. Could he? Would he? He didn't know. He sighed and sat back in the chair looking at his pocket watch. It was given to him by Elizabeth when they were younger and it was one of his most prized possessions. Half past seven.  
  
"Yes or no. Should I stay or should I go?" he rhymed. "I could NOT go and never let myself TRY to see if I can face Elizabeth alone. Patricia would understand. She almost TOLD me not to go." He flipped the pocket watch in his hand, shut it and put it away in a cupboard. "OR I can go and show everyone that I've accepted that it's all done and over." He liked the latter a lot more. He washed quickly and dressed in his formals. In his hurry, he forgot to blow out the candle.  
  
***  
  
Patricia looked at herself, uncomfortably.  
  
"What a bloody awful thing to wear," she cursed under her breath. She tried to reach around to loosen the corset but to no avail. She sighed heavily and took a deep yet restrained breath. "Well as long as I can breathe." She tucked away a stray hair that escaped the heated curler. "And why did I agree to curling my hair?!?"  
  
"Patricia, dear heart, are you decent?" Jack asked, though only saying it for manners because as he said the words he strode into the room in his new formal wear, looking devastatingly handsome in black and white silks.  
  
"Jack!" she cried out appalled. It was true that she WAS decent already. but still. She frowned at him but smiled when he looked at her. His eyes weren't AS lined with kohl but still slightly darkened. It suited him better. She laughed as she saw him moving just like he was in the morning, yet suited like a noble that he mostly wasn't.  
  
"Why, LOVE." Jack looked at her, just as startled. He stared appreciatively at her red dress that exposed her toned shoulders and long neck. He followed a chain that hung from a choker to a ruby gem dangling right over the valley of her cleavage. "Stunning." She blushed and turned away.  
  
"Liar." she muttered.  
  
"I'm hurt, doll. I do nothing but tell the truth. Well, shall we be leaving then milady?" Jack offered his hand and she took it smiling.  
  
"Of course we shall. We shouldn't keep the guests waiting." Jack hooked their arms as they walked down a plank to the alleys. They walked in silence though Jack was humming a song underneath his breath. Patricia turned to look at the blacksmith shop's window. She sighed in disappointment seeing the candle light flickering behind the glass.  
  
"I don't think Will shall be coming," she sighed putting her head against Jack's arm. Jack looked at her quietly.  
  
"Ain't that a shame. Why may I ask not?" He crinkled his nose as the hair piled high on her head hit his nose and poked his chin. "Your hair... It's... It's... " He sneezed as the strands irritated his nose.  
  
"Sorry," she laughed. "He has problems with. one of the hosts." Jack noticed her changed wistful tone and put two and two together.  
  
"From the sound of your voice, I'd find it safe to say that the one he has problems with is the female host..." He took her silence as an agreement. "Elizabeth Swann Norrington is it not? I've seen her. What a beautiful thing. Golden tresses. Peachy complexion..." He felt the girl on his arm slightly tense. "But you're thrice and a more beautiful than her," Jack hastily added. "Why must every woman insist upon being more beautiful than every other woman?" Jack asked.  
  
"I don't," she whispered.  
  
"Bah... not true dearlove. I felt you grow..."  
  
"We're here," she interrupted. She handed the invitation to Jack, who handed it to a chamberlain at the door. She looked around in the beautiful house as she stepped in. The crystal chandelier hung over their heads glistening in moon and candle light. She saw the faces and saw no one familiar, looking back longingly at the window outside, where she could imagine Will lying in bed asleep. "What in bloody hell am I doing here?"  
  
Patricia heard the notes of a violin playing a happy waltz and felt Jack tugging at her arm.  
  
"Remember when you called me a liar when I called you stunning?" he whispered hurriedly. She nodded, blushing. He pointed towards the left to a group of men, smiling at Patricia and slowly making their way towards her. "There's your proof that I wasn't."  
  
" Le bon soir, mademoiselle. Soigneriez-vous pour danser?" The first man appeared before them. It was obvious he was one of Toulousse's men. Patricia, having never been asked to dance, blushed as red as her dress. Jack grinned and pushed her hand to the man's.  
  
"Go ahead," he said. "I'll have you the rest of the night and my eye is on some things." He looked at the table where the man was serving, what else?, rum. Patricia smiled softly and was led to the dance floor by the blond haired French.  
  
***  
  
Elizabeth surveyed the crowd from the top of the stairs, looking just as bored as Patricia. She had no idea why this was so necessary but she guessed that it was just part of being the wife of the commodore. She sighed but then her eyes fell on Will's head hovering impatiently by where the refreshments were being served. Elizabeth smiled. 'In dire need of a savior and you can always count on Will to be there.'  
  
Will looked up briefly and did a double take as his eyes met Elizabeth's smile at him. She was subtly waving him over. His heart jumped but he quickly put his feelings down as he saw Norrington come up beside her kissing Elizabeth on the cheek, yet he couldn't help it. He had to talk to her... be near her... breath the same air as her. His eyes never left Elizabeth's gold framed face as he made his way past the waltzing couples. He kept bumping into men and women, muttering their indignance. His hands gripped a girl's shoulders to set her aside but as he was about to let go his fingers strayed feeling like the skin felt strangely familiar.  
  
Patricia felt someone grip her shoulder, pushing her away. She was about to turn so she could give whoever the rude guest was but stopped when she crossed paths with proverbial chocolate brown eyes. She stared into them for a moment and was broken away from the trance as they blinked in surprise.  
  
"Patricia?!" Will whispered in surprise. He looked her over his eyes tracing her straight black hair now in curls, her face sparkling with glitter scattered on her eyes and cheeks, the red of her slightly open lips. Her neck was long and her shoulders toned and, like Jack, his gaze was enticed by the black choker from the center leading a gold chain down to red drop grazing the top of her breasts. "Wow..." he choked out. His eyes went to the man who held her hand, and they narrowed warningly at the foreigner. 'How about we break that connection?' His hand took hold of both her hands and looked at the other man.  
  
"Will? What are you doing here?" Patricia asked. She felt his hand go down from her shoulders grazing the skin of her arm then holding her tiny hands in his large palms. She felt her whole body flush with his touch.  
  
"Si vous m'excuserez..." Will said in the little French he knew. The man smiled reluctantly and kissed Patricia on the cheek before turning to take his leave. Will glared at him as he left wanting to wipe away whatever traces he left on Patricia's cheek. He wanted to shout like a child, "She's MY best friend and NOT yours! And I've no intention of sharing!" Will led her through the waltz and noticed that the song was slowing gradually.  
  
"Will, I thought you weren't here," she said happily looking up at him grinning.  
  
"And missed you looking like a princess?" he teased. "Not likely." He laughed at her pink cheeks. "You look beautiful," he whispered in her ear. He was surprised that he cared to admit that. It was even stranger that the sentence rolled out of his mouth so easily especially since it was being given to his best friend.  
  
"Do not," she muttered. "And don't you dare act randomly nice with me. Every man around this room has been acting like bloody vegetables around me."  
  
"Can you blame them? You look... different from your usual state." He felt her hand hit him gently.  
  
"Wonderful... I look like a harpy, don't I?" She started to guide them away from the dance floor. "I feel like a bloody tart in this dress. Not to mention Marie was about ready to strangle me with this necklace, insisting I wear it this low." She shook the necklace disgustedly.  
  
"You look beautiful, love," Jack said coming up to them. Will was about to slap the man away but was appalled at the brilliant smile that Patricia gave him before hooking their arms together.  
  
"Don't be a liar, Jack," she scolded playfully. Patricia was in a higher mood now that Will was there but she didn't understand the tension he gave off as he stood by her, an understated glare hidden by his long eyelashes but she could see it clearly.  
  
"Am not, love. I'm an honest man and this necklace is dazzling on you," he said, "honestly!" His hand brushed on her chest as he scooped up the ruby and held it out for all three to see. Will's mind flared as he saw the skin to skin contact.  
  
'I will remain calm,' he thought exhaling his long drawn breath. 'I will remain civil...' He saw Jack's hand drop the gem, the fingertips touching skin again. 'I will run this complete stranger through with a sword if he touches Patricia again!' Patricia's eyes just remained skeptical as she turned to Will again.  
  
"Will, this is Jack. Jack, Will." She looked at the two and she briefly saw a moment of brief recognition in Jack's eyes as he observed the boy. "Have you ever met?" The question was more toward Jack.  
  
"Not that I remember," Will answered. They reached out to each other's hands and gripped each other as if to see who could break the other's hand off first. They released quickly and turned to look at Patricia.  
  
"Where's Elizabeth, Will?" At first, Will was genuinely confused.  
  
"Who?" Then Patricia gave him an odd look. "Oh! Elizabeth!" His eyes went on search again but he didn't see Elizabeth where she was the moment before. Instead Norrington remained talking to some other men. He noticed that they were stealing brief glances towards them. Will slowly made his way around Patricia so that his back was towards Norrington and hid her from view. 'A MARRIED MAN!' he thought, indignantly.  
  
Patricia turned to see what was behind Will and saw Elizabeth. Suddenly her smile turned forced. Will, saw the strain, and was about to ask why when he felt a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Will! I'm so glad you made it!" Elizabeth exclaimed.  
  
"Wouldn't have missed your return for the world, Miss Swann. I mean, Mrs. Norrington," Will coughed.  
  
"Will, how many times must I ask you to call me Elizabeth?" she still smiled.  
  
"At least once more, Miss Swann, as always." Will just looked unnervingly happy just looking at Elizabeth and Patricia frowned. Suddenly Will gently hit his forehead. "I mean Mrs. NORRINGTON. Excuse my bad memory." Norrington came up to Elizabeth and took hold of her arm as he acknowledged Jack.  
  
"There, see, at least the boy has a sense of propriety." Norrington said it coldly looking down at Will. Elizabeth missed it but Patricia saw the 'superior' look the commodore was giving Will and Jack and she immediately wanted to slap the expression off his face. Norrington spied Jack suspiciously. "And who is this? I know this here is William Turner and Patricia Taylor, our common blacksmiths." Patricia's temper was slowly rising as he spat out 'common blacksmiths' like a bad taste. "But who are YOU?"  
  
"I, sir?" Jack asked, obviously preoccupied with his free rum. "I. I am Smith. or Smithy, if you like."  
  
"Well. Mr. Smith." Commodore Norrington's hand rested on the hilt of the sword bobbing gently at his side. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"  
  
"Why I'm only here to escort the stunning Miss Taylor here to this 'rassemblement'." Patricia didn't notice that as Jack replied, Will finally tore away his entranced stare on Elizabeth to glare at Jack. "I do lend my hand of congratulations to an equally beautiful wife you have recently acquired."  
  
"I do think it a fact that my wife is more than equally beautiful to Miss Taylor but to each his own." Commodore sneered. Now it was Will's turn to want to kill the man. Before he could snap back, everyone gasped as Jack raised his arm to gulp down another swig of rum, revealing to all the tell- tale mark of a.  
  
"PIRATE!" the commodore exclaimed raising his sword, the point sitting uncomfortably underneath Jack's chin. "I knew it!"  
  
***  
  
CLIFFHANGER!!!!!!!! Don't you just love me!?!? Hahah. More up soon. Don't worry! And in case your wondering. YES they will have their on sea adventures. I'm not THAT stupid to ignore the whole point of PotC. 


	5. Chapter 4n5

Things Change  
  
AN: Yes I promised two Chapters but read the little title. It says Chapter FOUR AND FIVE. I hate the fact that the little drop down menu doesn't give an option to whether or not you have a prologue. Prologues are much important to me and now the numbering of the chapters is off. I'm on Chapter four and it'll have a bleeding FIVE next to the title. Dats why I'm putting together Four and Five in one fell swoop. So this installment will be a twinge longer than usual since there are two chapter in here. Just to let you know.  
  
Chapter 4:  
  
// "PIRATE!" the commodore exclaimed raising his sword, the point sitting uncomfortably underneath Jack's chin. "I knew it!" //  
  
"Jack! I told you!" Patricia exclaimed. Will turned to see his best friend slowly reaching to Jack's torso to push him away from the blade.  
  
"Patricia, what are you doing with the likes of him?" Will asked, feeling slightly betrayed. She knew about how much he had a loathing for pirates. How could she keep such company and be friends with him?  
  
"I... Not right now, Will," she frowned. She turned to the commodore who a triumphant gleam in his eye.  
  
"Well, Miss Taylor, I can't say I'm surprised by your choices of acquaintances. Now if you will, please step back before his identity incriminates you to the noose as well..." Commodore threatened, his sword still dangerously close to Jack's neck.  
  
"Now that's no way to speak to woman, good man," Jack replied. His hand went into his pocket and came out revealing a silver watch with a long thick chain hanging from the collar of his shirt and hanging loosely to his waist.  
  
"And you would know how to do that how, Mr. Sparrow?" Commodore asked. A new soldier had come now. "Gillette, please put chains on our guest here and see to it that he is safely transported to an UNcomfortable prison cell where he shall stay until his dawn appointment with the gallows.  
  
"Commodore, I really must protest," Elizabeth had grown tired of being unable to say anything. She scooted herself into the sword's way and stood defiantly. "Couldn't you grant him a night of clemency in honor of our return to Port Royal?"  
  
"Elizabeth, one good moment is not enough to redeem a man of a lifetime of wickedness... even for a night! Now out of the way!" he ordered. Patricia turned and saw that there were now a dozen of the Navy's men forming a semi- circle around her, Jack, Will, Elizabeth and Norrington.  
  
"Jack, I believe it's time for you to do the escaping-without-a-scratch thing you do so well," she muttered under her breath and Jack heard it. He turned to Elizabeth and smiled.  
  
"If you will, milady," he grinned before throwing the chain of his watch around her neck and pressing it against her skin. She was turned with her back against him, and she suddenly realized she made a mistake trying to save him.  
  
"Unbelievable..." she murmured. "I try and save your life and this is my repayment... You are despicable..."  
  
"Sticks and stones, love. Stick and stones," he whispered into her ear slowly stepping backwards. Patricia, somehow knowing what was in Jack's head, went, inconspicuously into the crowd and out of the house. She was running down the steps when Will had caught up to her.  
  
"Patricia, what in bloody hell were you doing with that man?!?" he cried out grabbing her arm. "He was a pirate, and a hunch tells me that you knew that!"  
  
"This is not a good time for this..." she said hurriedly going to the windows they were backed against from the inside. She waited and watched as Jack backed against the window.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen... you will always remember this as the day that you almost caught Captain..." A bit ungracefully Jack tripped over himself and sent his body, as well as Elizabeth's, hurtling backwards into the grass of the garden beneath the windows.  
  
"Jack!" Patricia called as she ran to him helping him up. "Oh..." She spotted Elizabeth being helped up by Will. "You brought Elizabeth."  
  
"Come on love. This isn't a moment for bitter rivalry," Will heard Jack say as the pirate took her hand and started to run into the alleys.  
  
"What?" he thought, as he grabbed Elizabeth's hand and started to run after them.  
  
"Will! What are you doing?" Elizabeth exclaimed. Her hand twisted in his trying to get away but he held on tight.  
  
"You're coming with us," Will found himself saying.  
  
"what?!?" Thankfully she became quiet. Will neared Jack and Patricia and heard her bitterly complaining about her shoes. Behind them they could just barely make out the sounds of the Naval officers regrouping.  
  
"Jack... I'm sorry... I can't run in this," Patricia said in genuine pain of her feet in the shoes she wasn't accustomed to. Jack heard the sincerity in her voice and picked her up throwing her body onto his shoulder as he ran through the shadows.  
  
"Better, love?" he asked, panting.  
  
"Undoubtedly," she answered grinning. "Go to the back of the crafts shop. We'll plan something for your escape there."  
  
"Well, love. To the crafts shop it is," Jack grunted adjusting Patricia's weight.  
  
"Am I heavy?" she giggled. Will hearing Patricia's invitation was immediately indignant.  
  
"Patricia, I refuse to let that man into our home," Will finally cried out catching up to them. He let Elizabeth's hand go and grabbed Patricia by the waist so that HE was carrying her. Elizabeth tried to run the moment she realized she was free of Will's grip but Jack caught her arm.  
  
"Sorry, love but we need you," Jack smiled.  
  
"What for!? Will, tell this man to let go me!" She started fighting against Jack and Will grabbed her by the arm as well but Jack pulled her away again.  
  
"You have enough women in your arms, boy," Jack said, gesturing to Patricia. He then pointed at Elizabeth and said, "She's for leverage, a sort of protection to make sure we get out of Port Royal alive and without rope around our necks."  
  
"So I'm hostage?" Elizabeth asked indignantly.  
  
"Yes! Now shut up!" Patricia snapped. "Will. I'll talk to you went we get on L' Mer Rouge. That'll be our way out. Toulousse and his men are all gone. It'll be empty so just gather our things and we'll out of here." They arrived at the blacksmith shop and they all entered hurriedly. Patricia ran up the stairs and blew out the candle in Will's room. Jack was busy downstairs, studying the many swords hanging on every corner of the room.  
  
"Who makes all these?" he asked, picking up an especially elaborate hilt of a sword.  
  
"I do," Will answered, grabbing the sword back from him. He played with the sword a bit before setting it back into the leather sheath. "And I practice with them for three hours every day so I'm rather skilled with it."  
  
"You need to get yourself a girl, mate," Jack grinned. Will just glared at him before turning away.  
  
"I'm getting your things, Trish!" he called as he climbed the stairs to Patricia's room.  
  
Elizabeth turned to the counter and started feeling around for a match. Her fingers felt the candle and its accompanying accessories and struck the match. She lit the candle and was immediately pushed away by Patricia, who just came down from Will's room just in time to see what Elizabeth was doing.  
  
"Are you mad?" Patricia snapped putting the flame away by her fingers. "They'll realize we're in here if they see a light!"  
  
"And are you stupid? We won't be able to see each other and around this pig sty without light!"  
  
"The woman who chose the wig wearer over Will for a husband has the audacity to imply I'm stupid?!" Patricia said incredulously before laughing. Elizabeth turned silent at her comment.  
  
"Why should I have chosen a craftsman over a commodore, Miss Taylor? Because I see no advantages to marrying Will to Norrington," Elizabeth said in a whisper.  
  
"If you have to ask that question," Patricia glared back, "then I gave your sight and intelligence FAR too much credit than it deserves."  
  
"Why you..." Elizabeth began raising her hand to hit the other woman but Will walked down from the stairs carrying two bags.  
  
"I think I've got everything of yours, Tricia," Will said distractedly looking around the room. Without another glance at Elizabeth, Patricia brushed past Elizabeth and gathered her bags from Will.  
  
"What do you SEE in her?!?" Patricia barked. Will just looked at her, bemused.  
  
"What are you talking about?" he asked.  
  
"Never mind." She rolled her eyes. "Just follow me. Jack's already gone to the ship. We should be able to set sail when we get there." She bent down to break the heels off her shoes and began her walk to the port. Will grabbed at Elizabeth but she just coiled away.  
  
"I'm not going with you, Will," she announced.  
  
"We don't have time for this, Elizabeth. They're right. The moment we ran, we had a noose on our heads," Will hissed.  
  
"You TOOK me by force! I don't have a noose over my head but YOU do. If you forget to remember, I'm married to the commodore of the British fleet of Port Royal so I have NOTHING hanging over my head. YOU, on the other hand, have an appointment to the gallows and had so the moment you associated with pirates!" she snapped. Something foreign woke up in Will and his pleading face mutated to one of determination.  
  
"Then Jack is right. You're our leverage to make sure we get out of this town alive." Without letting her get a word in edgewise, he put his arm around her waist and put a pocket handkerchief in her mouth. He scooped her kicking and punching body into his arms and ran to catch up to Patricia who was almost at the ship.  
  
Patricia looked to her side and smiled, satisfied when she saw Elizabeth squirming and gagged in Will's arms. They were nearing the port and so far their luck was holding out. No guards were around and it seemed like they had already searched the area they were in already but just as they were at the port a group of naval soldiers appeared at the planks that led onto the ship that was their ticket out of Port Royal.  
  
"Damn," Patricia muttered pulling Will into the shadows. "We won't be able to pass them..." She looked around for an inconspicuous way past the guards but found only a trolley and some empty barrels. Will spotted the same things but saw the possiblities in them.  
  
"Do you think those guards know who we are?" Will asked.  
  
"No... I don't think so... New ones by the looks of it," she muttered. "Why does it matter?" He popped open one barrel and dropped Elizabeth in. "Good lord... no, Will."  
  
"Why not? It's a good idea," he reasoned. "And Elizabeth is already comfortable." He closed the barrel then rolled it onto the trolley.  
  
"Who'll wheel us onto the ship?" she asked.  
  
"I will! Just get it. Drop the bags in another barrel and we'll be off," Will answered.  
  
"You think like a pirate, Will," she smirked as she climbed into her hiding spot but her face froze when she saw Will's scowl.  
  
"That's an insult to me, if ever there was one," he snapped. "And speaking of pirates, you'd better be grateful that I haven't blown up at you for getting us into this mess. When we get onto that ship and we're safely away from the gallows, we are having a talk."  
  
"Yes," she murmured, blushing. She climbed in without another word and felt her barrel being pushed and rolled. Will placed the barrels with a heave onto the trolley and put a dirty tarp over it. He could hear faint knocks coming from Elizabeth's barrel and he kicked it to silence her.  
  
(AN: For those of you who thought that was the evilest thing in the world, keep in mind that those barrels are made of wood, not cloth. When he kicked it, he didn't even touch her, just scared her enough to be quiet. My friend thought he REALLY kicked her and I turned Will from a gentleman to full on abuser but NO.... I would NEVER do that.)  
  
He pushed the trolley across the cobblestone path with held breath and grunted as he got the rusted wheels over the bumps going onto the wooden planks. Strangely enough the guards just nodded at him and let him through without question. Will released his sigh of relief as he safely steered the cart into the shadows of the deck of the ship. Will knocked on Patricia's barrel and watched her emerge from her hole.  
  
"That thing has the nastiest smell I've ever had the displeasure of coming near!" she muttered. Will put his arms around her and helped her out of the barrel.  
  
"Glad to know I was saved from THAT mess then," he replied, sarcastically. Patricia looked up at him with sad eyes.  
  
"Will... I'm sorry," Patricia said but Will just turned away to get Elizabeth out of her own cell.  
  
"When we get out of here, Patricia." Suddenly Jack dropped in from one of the beams that went through the mast.  
  
"Ready, love?"  
  
"As ready as we'll ever be," Patricia sighed. "Can I be any help?"  
  
"Yes actually, draw in the gangplanks and untie the ropes holding it to port. The men shall control the sails," Jack answered. Will came back from one of the cabins, where he locked Elizabeth in and heard the last comment.  
  
"How do you expect to get out of the bay in the dark?" Will asked. "And with only three pairs of hands!"  
  
"You forget one thing, m'boy," Jack countered. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." Will narrowed his eyes at the arrogant pirate.  
  
"How could I forget when I never even knew?"  
  
"Well now you do Mr. Turner and you would do well to take a page from your daddie's book. He trusted me behind the wheel and so should you." Jack turned and walked away leaving the comment to hang on Will's head.  
  
{{ AN: Who knew that Port Royal was real?! As is Tortuga AKA Lle de la Tortue? *Laughs* I now know what I missed in history class... So that was what Ms. Socher was going on about. Port Royal is on the southeast coast of Jamaica and Tortuga is a little island of the northwest shore of Haiti. Okay no more geography lessons... }}  
  
CHAPTER 5  
  
Will was about to chase down Jack and make Jack tell him what he meant by his last comment but he stopped when he heard a loud splash coming from the starboard side. He saw Patricia kneeling behind the rails tugging at her leg. Suddenly he realized why she was down there. A tangled piece of rope had wound itself around her ankle and was pulling her over the side.  
  
"C'mon, Will," she said in a loud whisper. "A little coming to my aid would be extremely appreciated." He ran to her side.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"The wooden planks... I was pushing them in and there was rope I didn't see on one end. It slipped from my hands and went into the water and it's pulling me under," she grunted trying to hold onto the railings to keep from being pulled farther over the edge. "And Will... I think the guards noticed me and they went to get Norrington." She looked at him apologetically.  
  
"I think she's right!" Jack shouted from his place at the wheel. He pointed down the cobble streets and they looked up to see Commodore Norrington running towards their ships followed by sailors and a horde of his officers beihnd him.  
  
"Jack, get us out of here now!" Patricia shouted back. She tried to pull herself up again but she got dragged across the wood farther down more. The ship was drifting away from the port and they were a good distance away from shore but Patricia knew that they were still in easy reach of a good throw of rope and it seemed Norrington thought the same thing.  
  
"You!" he called to a sailor. "Your rope... That girl on the deck has some rope on her ankle dragging her into the water.... Can you hook the rope?" The man looked on to the ship and nodded.  
  
"But sir... if we pull at that rope, she'll definitely go in that water and drown with something dragging her to the bottom," the sailor said, hesitantly.  
  
"Does it look like I care?! And it's not like the two men on board will let her die! It'll give us enough time to capture the ship! Now drag her down!!" he ordered. The man took a second to react but he turned and unrolled the rope.  
  
"I got a bad feeling about this, Will," she said the water kept pulling on the heavy wooden planks tugging at her whole body to join it.  
  
"Why?" Will asked as he pulled and tugged at the heavy ropes snarled beyond hope. "I need a knife."  
  
"Norrington has a plan... I can see it." Just as she said those words the sailor on shore threw the rope with a hook on the end. The hook caught just below her feet. "Will!!" she screamed as the sailor gave his hardest pull and Patricia fell into the water.  
  
"Tricia!" He looked down into the waters and couldn't make out her shape in the darkness.  
  
"Go after her you moron," Jack said nudging him softly.  
  
"I... I'm afraid of the water," Will muttered and Jack just looked at him incredulously.  
  
"No you're not," he said in a knowing tone.  
  
"Yes I am!!" Will snapped. "I think I would know!"  
  
"Can you swim?"  
  
"I used to... Haven't tried in years." Jack gave Will an understanding tone and then grasped Will by the back of his shirt.  
  
"Well, if you can swim, you're not afraid of the water," he announced before literally throwing him in the water. Jack waited for Will to stop flailing his arms about so that he could finally save Patricia.  
  
"You damn bastard!!" Will yelled when he finally calmed down and treaded water.  
  
"Time for you to rescue your bonny lass and stop insulting me, Mr. Turner. Our bitter foes have found themselves a gig and are heading for you now!" he grinned.  
  
"At least throw me a damn knife!" Jack did so and Will plunged back into the water. By the bright moonlight, he could finally see Patricia's body bobbing underwater, limp. He kicked his way to her feet and cut the hard twine and finally felt her floating to the surface. As his head emerged from the water, he spied a small boat with Norrington at the bow nearing them but they were still a bit way off.  
  
"Grab the rope!" Jack called and Will saw the twine thrown for them to be pulled onto the ship. Jack checked to see if they had a good grip on the rope and then ran to twist it arund the mast. He heaved both of their wet bodies onto the deck and just in time as well because Norrington had just come in firing range.  
  
"Give me back my wife!" Norrington demanded.  
  
"Not until you let us go, Commodore!" Jack shouted back. He looked at Will for a little support but he was busy trying to get Patricia conscious again. "Try hitting her on the chest, Will, or on the back," he said to him then looked at the Commodore again who fired a shot knocking his hat on the floor.  
  
"Not a chance, pirate!"  
  
"Look here, Commodore," Jack said a tad bit annoyed now. He jumped to the mast, a hand on one of the ropes of the sails. "I took your ring-around-the- rosies chase lying down because I know you're just a good upstanding man who's going his job..." He looked about the deck and picked up his hat, to use it as pointer to Norrington. "But NEVER... DAMAGE... MY HAT!" With that he pulled at his rope and the sails of the ship came tumbling down in white billows. It seemed that Capt. Sparrow was either a VERY good judge of weather, had impeccably accurate timing, born with more luck that should have been place on such a man--or maybe all three!--because as the sails dropped, a sudden north blew their ship into open sea, Port Royal's light shrinking. He was distracted from his moment of gloating when he heard wild coughing from the floor and saw Patricia regaining consciousness.  
  
"It worked!" Will said, in disbelief. "Your idea worked!"  
  
"Lovely to know you have your confidence in me, Mr. Turner," Jack replied. He put his hand under Patricia's neck and propped it up so that all the water didn't return to her body when she coughed it out.  
  
"W... Will," she stuttered. Her throat felt strangely cut after the salt burned at her insides. "I need water..." Will ran down to the galley and grabbed a cup of water from a barrel and returned to her side in a minute flat.  
  
"Are you all right, Patricia?" he asked pushing Jack away and carrying her to a bench safely away from the edge.  
  
"Yea... Yes... I'm fine... Remind me never to go near a ship again after this..." she said in a raspy voice. And Will just chuckled.  
  
"Well, if you can make sarcastic comments like that, I think you'll be fine," he laughed.  
  
"I wasn't being sarcastic... I was serious. When we get out of this, we're moving safely away from water." Jack heard the comment and playfully poked her in the waist.  
  
"That has to be the most ridiculous idea I've ever heard of but now it's time for idle chatter to stop," Jack said. "I can't steer this ship to Tortuga all in me onesies."  
  
"I thought you were Captain Jack Sparrow?" Will hissed sarcastically.  
  
"I am, lad, but I'm no miracle worker."  
  
"Wait... Wait..." Patricia regained her strength and stood up. "Jack... did you just say Tortuga? As in Lle de la Tortue?!?"  
  
"That what you Port Royalists call it? Funny," Jack nodded. He ran up the wheel on an upper deck and began to steer them through the winds. "Yup, love, we're going to El de la Tortilla, as you call it."  
  
"Lle de La Tortue... Just call it Tortuga but WHY?!?" she cried out following him. "From what my father told me, Tortuga is Pirate Central. What are we doing going there?"  
  
"Getting a crew, of course."  
  
"But... Crew. Wait What are you doing? Going on some history-making adventure of Jack Sparrow?" She had asked it sarcastically but he smiled at her and her sarcastic expression fell away.  
  
"We are?" she asked shocked.  
  
"We are?!?" Will jumped up at that and came in between the two to face Jack. "What the heck do you think you're doing? You better let us off this ship at Port Royal if you think any of us are going to some stupid pirate quest with you!"  
  
"You think you'll be taken with open arms if I let you off in Port Royal?" Jack asked. "Because you have completely branded yourself as a gentleman o' fortunes tonight. You commandered a ship of the British fleet and was an accomplice to a kidnapping." He pointed to the cabin below him, gesturing to Elizabeth. "Not to mention you did your share in the escape of a wanted man." Jack bowed down, meaning himself. "You're safely on a passage to becoming a pirate and Port Royal doesn't welcome our type of folk around there."  
  
Will just looked at Jack angrily. He knew Jack was right and the fact that he couldn't do anything about it made Will furious so he turned to Patricia.  
  
"Patricia Taylor!" he yelled. "This is all your fault! Your tendency to make the lowliest of friends has just gotten into the biggest messes. Now it'll be on your head if one of us doesn't get home alive!" Patricia just looked at him completely speechless. Will had never yelled at her before and his rage was frightening her. She just looked up at him, shocked, and watched him stomp away to the stern of the ship.  
  
"He'll calm down, love," Jack said comfortingly when he saw the tears appearing in Patricia's eyes. "This ship isn't big enough to avoid you for a couple of days. Just let him cool off and talk to him tomorrow." She just nodded and turned away to go below deck. "wait!"  
  
"Yes Jack?" Patricia stopped and looked back at him.  
  
"You're last name is Taylor?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And your father is?"  
  
"Philip Taylor..." An odd look past through Jack's face. "Why are you curious?"  
  
"No special reason... It was a familiar name."  
  
"Okay, Jack..."  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
Okay guys! Woohoo! I'm sorry that the fifth chapter was short by my usual standards but it was sort of a transition chapter. Now they're on sea! Whoot Whoot! 


	6. Chapter 6

\\AN// Ummm Sixth Chapter! Yay! I'm sorry for such a delay but school has been a bugger this past few weeks and I've had no time to write at all! Ergh...  
  
Hint on future plot:: One of the reviewers is DEFINITELY on the right track.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
It would take about six days to get to Tortuga. Six days longer on water than Patricia had ever been but somehow her sea legs had grown overnight. She had begun learning how to work a ship under Jack's supervision. She could work even work the sails on the mast but she refrained from doing that after one try of climbing the wooden poles when she realized Jack was grinning below her when the wind blew her skirt and revealed her bloomers.  
  
"Pretty little knickers you got, Miss Taylor," Jack had shouted from the deck. Patricia rolled her eyes and just kept looking at the horizon as she wrapped her skirt around her legs to keep them from revealing anymore privacy. She didn't see Will come up to Jack with his mop on hand.  
  
"Keep looking at her pretty little knickers and you won't have anything to look at ANYTHING, Sparrow," Will said threateningly bringing the splintering wooden end of the mop in between Jack's eyes.  
  
"Oh yes, I forgot," Jack said sarcastically. "Her pretty knickers are only for YOU to look at." He just received a glare from Will as the younger man stalked away sulking. Jack grinned at his obvious success in annoying Will Turner.  
  
"Jack, this is beautiful!" Patricia shouted from her height. "You can see for miles!" Jack looked up and just grinned. She finally looked down, smiling at the sight in front of her, when she noticed Will. She caught his look before he turned away hurriedly and just sighed. "I'll have to talk to him SOME time," she muttered. She grabbed hold of the rope and used the first layer of her skirt to keep her hands from burning as she slid down to Jack's side.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
At last, Elizabeth had come out of the cabin she had locked herself in. After two days, she finally realized that there was absolutely no chance Will would break down his decision to not let her go back to Port Royal. They were already too far away from Port Royal anyways. If they had given her a small boat, she would have died in probably a day. So far though Patricia was the only who had spoken to her since they had went off shore.  
  
"Elizabeth, you HAVE to come out of there," Patricia had yelled through the door.  
  
"Not until you promise, my safe return to Port Royal," Elizabeth had screamed back. Patricia was silent for a moment. The tension between her and Will was finally taking its toll and she was just plain tired of arguing.  
  
"Look, Miss Elizabeth," Patricia sighed. "I can't promise you that. At least not yet. But if you refuse to come out at least let me in." Silence. "I have dinner for you." A few moments passed and the door creaked open with Elizabeth looking very disheveled.  
  
"Food?" she asked timidly. Patricia held out her tray and stepped in as Elizabeth grabbed it and walked to her bed to eat. Patricia looked about and saw that Elizabeth had ransacked the place. It was a complete mess and Patricia couldn't stand it so, when she locked the door behind her, she began to clean up.  
  
"You have to come out. You'll go insane just staying in here."  
  
"I'll go insane if I have to live on this boat having to see that perverted pirate on deck every day," she said between large bites of an apple.  
  
"O... okay. Yes, Jack's a bit on the perverted side but he's a good man," Patricia replied, brushing away the bits of broken glass at the table. A shard sliced through her palm and she yelped in pain.  
  
"What's wrong?" Elizabeth asked looking up from her food.  
  
"Nothing." She grabbed a torn blanket and wrapped her bleeding wound in it. She watched as the white sheet had shown red in seconds. "And anyways, Will would be looking after you. It's not like he'll let harm come to you."  
  
"He's the one who took me in the first place," Elizabeth snapped bitterly.  
  
"And it was a rash decision I know but the three of us would be hanging on a pole if he hadn't..." She trailed off not knowing what to say. "Look, I'm sorry that my association with Jack has completely blown up at my face. I didn't think it would be any harm having him as an escort to the party..."  
  
"I thought Will was your escort," Elizabeth interrupted.  
  
"Oh... no.. no. Will was just there," Patricia sighed. "He was trying to see if he can deal with your presence and not break down..." Patricia looked at Elizabeth. "He loves you very much, Elizabeth."  
  
"As much as you love him, I see," she replied. Patricia just looked at her surprised.  
  
"MORE than I love him for my love for him is only that for a friend."  
  
"You are a very good liar, Patricia, but not good enough to fool a woman's intuition," Elizabeth said.  
  
"Just forget it, Elizabeth. I don't love him that way," she snapped. "Just get your spoiled arse out of this cabin and HELP us get to Tortuga."  
  
"Tortuga?"  
  
"Yes... maybe then we'll find a legitimate ship that'll sail you to Port Royal. That's all I can promise," Patricia said. She walked out and several minutes later Elizabeth emerged from the shadows and began talking to Will. She watched them as Will told her what she could do and saw the first hint of a smile on his face. "One down... One to go."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"All done for the day I think," Jack said as he kept his stand at the helm. The sun was setting and they were about less than a day's trip to Tortuga. L'Mer Rouge was sailing gently by the shore of Haiti. Patricia nodded and just looked towards shore. "I believe you and your blacksmith should be holding hands by now, love."  
  
"What?" She turned at him, glaring.  
  
"Nothing to offense, Trish-love, but I would recommend making amends with your," he coughed, "friend before we reach Tortuga." Elizabeth came up the helm, in better spirits than in the beginning of the trip and saw Patricia's face.  
  
"What's wrong?" Patricia just remained silent and turned back to the water. Elizabeth turned to Jack for an answer and he just gestured to Will, who held the same position Patricia had except at the bow. "Oh..."  
  
"Fine... Sheesh. I'll talk to him now," Patricia exclaimed exasperated. "That's just annoying with the two of you having silent conversatons about me behind my back." She twisted and started unlacing her corset.  
  
"Whoa... whoa... I said make amends and nothing else, Patricia. Nothing else!" Jack exclaimed as he saw her stripping away the outer layer of her clothing. "Not that it wouldn't help you get him to notice you." Jack grinned at her and Patricia just rolled her eyes.  
  
"I'm not planning on jumping HIM, Captain Sparrow," she retorted.  
  
"Then what ARE you doing?" Elizabeth asked and saw the bittersweet smile on Patricia's face.  
  
"I'm going swimming. Helps me deal with unwanted situations," she answered before throwing her removed clothing into a bag and dropping it into a hole on the deck that led to the cabins. She walked over to Will and just stood beside him admiring the colorful horizon.  
  
"You'll have to talk to me sometime, Will," Patricia started.  
  
"Better later than now," Will answered, bitterly. He refused to look at Patricia so he just stared at the blinding glare, making his eyes water.  
  
"What else can I say, William? I can't turn back time. It's done! We're going to Tortuga and we're in this together with Jack now and the only thing I can do is apologize and beg dramatically for your forgiveness!" she cried out. Patricia let out a frustrated sigh and glared at the back of Will's head. "And why am I screaming at your hair when it's your face being stubborn!" She grabbed his shoulders and made him face her. When he turned, though, all he could see was his own aggravation.  
  
"Well, EXCUSE ME for feeling a bit indignant about being pulled away from my life and having to live a lifestyle I've grown up hating and it's all my best friend's fault!" he shouted back.  
  
Jack and Elizabeth watched from the upper deck. Elizabeth was a bit appalled at their shouts but Jack was half amused.  
  
"Twenty pounds that next time Will opens his mouth to words like those he'll be slapped across the face... Nevermind. After knowing that firecracker, I'm guessing she'll give him a black eye," Jack chuckled.  
  
"Jack!" Elizabeth scolded, giving him a patronizing glare before returning to the two people fighting.  
  
"ALL my fault?!" Patricia cried out in disbelief. "It wasn't my idea to drag Elizabeth into this! And if memory serves me correctly, I happen to remember that YOU were the one who followed me! You could have saved yourself from this but you just HAD to follow, didn't you?" She paused to catch her breath before making one more statement. "I'll take a lot of the fault for this incident, William Turner, but don't you dare place it ALL on me. You followed me on your own accord. I did NOT tie your hands and bring you restrained on this ship." Will just glowered at her, and turned back to the darkening sky.  
  
"I don't like the look Patricia has on," Elizabeth murmured and indeed it was a bit on the terrifying side the way Patricia's eyes were glowing with fury.  
  
"FINE!" Patricia shouted. "FINE!! Be that way!!" She turned to the railing and threw down the rope ladder. She sat down on the floor and proceeded to take off her shoes. "Be a damn bastard!" She threw a sock at his head and watched it bounce off the brown curls. "Be a stubborn MULE and stand there like an idiot!" She ripped off the bloody bandage for her hand and was threw it at Will's head again but just as it was about to hit his hair again, Will turned and the bloody rag hit him square on the forehead.  
  
Jack laughed at the perfect timing and Elizabeth just glared at him again.  
  
"Honestly, Jack..."  
  
Will looked at the cloth as it fell into his hand, confused.  
  
"Why is your hand bloodied?" he asked concerned.  
  
"Why would you care?! You're too stubborn to live with the facts that have turned your life around. You're probably too thick to care about any of the smaller facts in MINE!" She got up and just gave Will and angry glance before diving into the ocean.  
  
"Patricia!" will called leaning over the railing. Patricia emerged from the water and just backfloated not listening to Will anymore. "Patricia Taylor, you are the most random person in the world! Get out of the water!"  
  
"No!" she yelled back. She drifted in her own little world with the muffled shouts of Will being drowned away. She opened her eyes when she heard another splash come into the water and saw Will swimming to her.  
  
"There's sharks here. Don't you ever think?" he scolded grabbing her shoulder and trying to pull her to the ladder.  
  
"I don't care for sharks." She easily pushed him away and began to swim into the water. As she started to come back up to the surface, the moonlight hit some metal on the ground. She wanted to see what it was but she had to regaiin breath. She bursted up the water and rubbed her irritated eyes. "Stupid salt..."  
  
"Patricia, I swear. Just come back up. I'm tired of chasing after you." Will looked at her pleadingly but she shook her head in return.  
  
"There's something in the water," she said. Will looked at her bemused.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I don't know. I want to go look. It's on a sandbar so it isn't deep." She dived back in and disappeared into the darkness.  
  
"What I do for this girl..." Will groaned. He submerged himself back in the water and chased after her. Finally, when the waves changed their direction, he saw what she was swimming to. A rotting wooden chest with a metal frame was half-buried in sand and Patricia was hovering over it trying to pry it open. He caught her eye and pointed to the surface and she followed him for another breath.  
  
"It's a chest! A ship probably sank somewhere here!" Patricia exclaimed. "Let's get it!" Patricia was about to dive back in again but Will caught her hand that was still bleeding. Patricia flinched and snapped her hand back.  
  
"Get back onto the ship." Will gave her a look that told her he was serious.  
  
"What about the chest?"  
  
"I'll get to it myself," he promised.  
  
"Fine," she muttered indignantly. She drifted to the ladder and pulled herself up onto the deck where Elizabeth and Jack were waiting.  
  
"Well?" Jack waited.  
  
"well what?"  
  
"Where's dear William?" Patricia's eyes narrowed for a second.  
  
"I drowned him," she answered sweetly.  
  
"What?!?" Elizabeth cried out running to the railing just in time to see Will surface and call for Jack.  
  
()()()() Okay sucky chapter!! I know!! But hey give me a break. School is being such a suck ass I can't even believe I'm actually pushed to the point of studying. Next chapter... I'm working on now... I'll get to it as soon as possible though I think the next one will be shorter than usual. 


	7. Chapter 7

AN// Yeesh... I got a new story up as well as Things Change (which might explain the delay bit. *grin* sorry) It's called Prophecy and it's a PotC/Reality crossover. It's a Will Turner fic so check it out if you ever have the time and Review PLEASE!!  
  
One more thing: all the questions WILL be answered. Like why Will hates pirates, Patricia's history and other random things I made up. Just stay with me here and I'll be good and answer and before any confusion erupts... I won't be answering them in THIS chapter... just wait a bit! It's called dramatic build up.  
  
Chapter seven:  
  
"Throw me a rope!" Will yelled from the water. Elizabeth whirled back at Patricia, accusingly.  
  
"Don't scare me like that!" she yelled.  
  
"I'll do what I please," Patricia replied. It seemed their dislike for each other was growing again.  
  
"Will you two hens stop arguing and help me with Will?" Jack ordered throwing the rope. Will disappeared into the water and wrapped the rope around the chest. He had to get breath twice more to get it secured because the sand was burying one side of the chest. He had to dig it out. As soon as he did so, he climbed back up into the ship to help bring it on board.  
  
"I'll take the back!" Patricia said, excited.  
  
"No!" Will barked at her. "Take your hand and wait in my cabin!"  
  
"I found it! I should have some help in uncovering it, not to mention rummaging through its contents!" Patricia whined.  
  
"No comments! Go now or I'm cutting this rope!" he yelled. Patricia stepped back, afraid of his raised voice again. She could see he was angry once more but she couldn't find another reason to what resparked his anger at her.  
  
"All right," she said timidly, backing up to the deck below. Patricia stepped into Will's cabin and sat at a wooden chair by the mirror. Her hand was wrapped with another torn piece from her skirt. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she realized what a mess she was.  
  
Patricia grabbed a thrown piece of cloth and wrapped her hair to dry. Her underdress was torn, tattered and wet. She couldn't do anything with that so she just sat down, broken.  
  
"You needn't have shouted at her, William," Jack said when Patricia disappeared.  
  
"She wouldn't have listened otherwise," Will replied, angrily, taking a hand of rope and giving them to Jack. "Elizabeth, step back," he said to her and she followed his words but turned to where Patricia headed.  
  
"She would have listened there, Mr. Turner," Jack shrugged. "And she had a point. She discovered whatever it is you're pulling up and should have some hand in its recovery and examination."  
  
"We're only recovering it. Not examining it," he corrected, agitated. "I'm not so thick as to not realize that she'll have my head if I go through the chest without her. Now help and pull!"  
  
"Chest?" Jack turned and shook himself up, as if getting ready to run a race. "Why didn't you say so? We would have had that thing on deck an hour ago!" He laced his fingers and turned the palms away to stretch his arms and crack his knuckles in the process. "Heave ho, then, sailors!"  
  
Will and Jack took hold of the rope and pulled with all their might to bring the water-filled chest onto the deck. A third of an hour later both men were heaving in fatigue and sore muscles but the chest was safely aboard the ship. Sweat was soaking their shirts but Jack had a grin on his face.  
  
"Now.... to the rummaging," Jack smiled. He knelt down in front of the chest about to break the lock but Will put his foot on the lid.  
  
"She'll have our heads for just pulling this thing up without her. She'll kill us... SLOWLY if we got through it without her," Will said in a that- was-obvious tone. Jack looked at Will, annoyed.  
  
"Fine," he muttered. He stood up and glowered at the younger man. "But tomorrow, we open this at the crack of dawn, with OR without your bonny lass." He stomped away, frustrated that he used much of his strength on something he won't even get to see immediately.  
  
Will sighed and used the rope around the chest to pull it behind him to his cabin.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Elizabeth had gone back to Will's cabin and saw Patricia rummaging with herself.  
  
"They're bringing it up," Elizabeth announced. As if on cue, they heard a loud bump on the deck and Patricia frowned.  
  
"That's what I hear," she sneered sarcastically. She looked at her visitor's arm and saw her dress. "May I have my dress, Miss Swann?"  
  
"It's a beautiful... or WAS a beautiful dress before you decided to become a pirate in it," Elizabeth said, handing the dress to its owner. "How did you come by it?"  
  
"I didn't steal it if that's what you mean," Patricia replied. "Toulousse is an old friend of the family's. He lent me the dress voluntarily and, if I had the chance to ask him but I didn't so by technicality, he lent me this boat as well."  
  
"I didn't... I mean... I didn't want to imply that you stole it," Elizabeth blushed though that was exactly what was going through her mind. "I'll... I'll go now." She hurried out and left Patricia to change into the dryer clothes that she was given. She opened a window and hung out her dress to dry as Will walked in dragging the heavy chest behind him.  
  
"Why'd you bring it down?" Patricia asked surprised, when she saw the cargo he brought in. She was about to reach out and lend him a hand on pulling it in but Will pushed her away again.  
  
"Will you just sit down?!" Will said, agitated. Patricia's teeth captured her lower lip and she sat down on the bed, demurely placing her hands on her lap. Will wiped the sweat from his brow and threw off his vest, pulling the chest to the farthest corner from the door. He collapsed on the bed next to Patricia, who was still sitting quietly and looking away. Will saw the uncomfortable look she had on her face and sighed so he sat up beside her. "Give me your hand..." She gave him her undamaged hand automatically, since it was the nearest one to him. "You're OTHER hand, Tricia."  
  
"Sorry," she muttered turning, to extend her wrapped hand to him. Will took out a box underneath his bed that carried some real bandages in them.  
  
"How'd you cut it?" Will asked, taking away the crude cloths aorund her palm.  
  
"Your girlfriend broke her mirror and I was cleaning it up," she said without thinking.  
  
"Elizabeth's not my girlfriend," Will snapped. A small smile appeared at Patricia's lips.  
  
"That may be so but she seems extremely forgetful fo the fact that she's married aboard the ship... particularly around you," she teased, trying to break whatever ice there was in Will's eyes. Will remained silent, cleaning the wound softly.  
  
"Did you cut it today?" he asked.  
  
"No. I cut it yesterday." Silence fell on them again. "Will, talk to me," Patricia whined.  
  
"I have nothing to say."  
  
"You're so stubborn! I already apologized! What do you want me to do? Throw JACK off the boat?!"  
  
"That might be a step toward forgiveness..." Will secured the bandage and lay himself back down on the bed, but he now had a small smile as well.  
  
"Mule," she scoffed.  
  
"Takes one to know one, love," Will retorted.  
  
"Well, I learned from the master." Patricia poked Will's stomach and put on her serious face again. "Will, I really am sorry. I didn't mean for things to end up so badly for you."  
  
"For me? It's not just me suffering here, Patricia," Will said, finally willing to talk to her. "There's also Elizabeth." He quickly saw her annoyed look and added, "WHICH I shall take partial responsibility for, since I WAS the one who brought her with us but the occasion to make that decision wouldn't have risen if you hadn't brought Jack to that party. Which brings me to my next question; why DID you being Jack to that party and how did you come by him?" Patricia just sat at the bed, playing with the sheets at her fingertips.  
  
"He reminded me of Papa," she whispered. Of all the answers in the world, Will did NOT expect that one.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Don't you remember, Will?" She looked up at him with eyes that weren't really seeing the present but was living out old memories. "Papa would tell me stories when I was younger about a pirate named Jack Sparrow, scourge of the Seven Seas. When I was a child, I thought he was just making him up but the day of the party, I saw a homeless man sleeping by the Farmer's Market. I went over there to give him some money and I found out it was Jack Sparrow!"  
  
"And you wanted to talk to him to see if ALL of Uncle Phil's stories?" Will asked. Patricia nodded.  
  
"I just wanted a night with my father's idol. That was all. I didn't mean for us to be caught in something bigger than both of us put together and it's annoying that you won't talk to me," she said her forehead creasing in frustration. "I apologized but I still don't have anyone to talk to about how I can work sails and steer a ship. I'm actually good at it now..." Will laughed.  
  
"Yes, I saw you with your chores..." Will replied. He waved for her to lie down next to him and she crawled to his side so that head rested at the crook of his arm where it joined his shoulder.  
  
"You smell nasty, Will," Tricia murmured. "We all need a bath."  
  
"You do too."  
  
"That's why I said 'WE ALL need a bath', William." She poked his chest again. "So I'm assuming I'm forgiven?"  
  
"You assume correctly, love." Will kissed her head and began to fall asleep. "Good night, Patricia."  
  
"Night..." Patricia lay awake in his arms, realizing that she liked being called 'love' by Will. She put an arm across his chest and looked up at the sleeping man beside her. "It's good to have you back, love." She stretched and gave Will a brief kiss on the lips before settling down to her own rest. What she didn't know was that Will felt the warmth of that kiss exactly as his dreams gave him an image of his best friend leaning down over him doing the same exact thing.  
  
AN// hehe. I thought this would be short... but I bled into four pages so all in all... it's good. *grin* 


	8. Chapter 8

AN// I have a good news kind of thing... readers, given that I have some, My friend, an author in ff.n (see her in my favourite author list... she's the third one) is an awesome writer. A new one mind you but she rocks. AND she made me very jealous because of the fact that she can update fourteen times in TWO months... YES I'm a bit jealous so I'm taking a little initiative. I will be updating SO much more frequently. *mean face* yes I will! Just watch. (oh.. the given that I have readers line was a bit of self-deprecation. My friend has about six hundred reviews. *sigh* If only I could have HALF of that...)  
  
Chapter 08:  
  
Will woke up to what he thought was the sound of a creak of the door. He sat up and looked around. It was still dark and the sun had yet to rise from her sleep. He looked around at the shadows and saw nothing and heard nothing so he lay back down and realized that Patricia was still nestled in his arms, breathing deeply and peacefully. Her black hair was tangled into unmanageable knots and he, affectionately, pushed the knots back and smiled at her childlike expression as she slept. Kissing her on the forehead once, he gathered her into his body, resting his arms around her and trying to fall asleep again.  
  
Once more, he heard the echoing creak of footsteps on the wood of the floor this time. Will, thinking it was some shifting of the great ship again. The winds began to push at the walls and creaking didn't stop. It didn't occur to Will that the wind's rocking and sounds didn't coincide with each other.  
  
"Will..." a voice called. Will did NOT want to be woken up when he was sleeping in such a serene position so he remained silent and still. "Will..." the voice called again. A dirty-nailed hand reached down to the sheets to wake its destination and landed on Patricia's stomach. She stirred slightly and Will opened his eyes a crack to see Jack Sparrow's hand slithering up his best friend's body and then resting a little too long on her chest. "Will... I never realized you were so soft... or... well- endowed with the gifts of women..." As soon as the formerly sleeping man's mind registered to the fact that Jack was done trying to wake him and has moved on to groping his loved one, Will slipped out of the bed as gently as he could as to not wake the girl but fast enough so that he caught Jack by surprise, putting a hand on the pirate's neck.... TIGHTLY.  
  
"What in bloody hell do you think you're doing fondling Patricia?!" Will hissed, angrily. "Mind you, I expected something like that from you but to do it in front of me?!! Surely, you have a death wish."  
  
Jack merely rolled his eyes. "I presuppose that you and the lass have kissed and made up, now did ye?" He pried the angry fingers off him.  
  
"What do you want, Jack?" Will asked aggravated. He looked longingly at the warm spot in the beside Patricia, looking at the creases of the blankets like waves, watching her arms subtly reach out for the heat that had once lay by her. "I want to sleep."  
  
"Ye see here, William?" Jack started. "I gave me word last night that when the goddess, Dawn, reaches her fingers out to touch these pieces of wood..." He tapped the wood floor gently for emphasis. "... We'd be delving through yesterday's Catch of the Day. Well, Dawn be reaching out her lovely fingers to this here ship so I'm off to me delving..." Jack then strode over to the corner and sat down on the bed pulling the chest next to him. "Please be treasure. Please be treasure... or at least be rum... Rum might be nice..."  
  
Will took a second to realize what Jack had said. (He's a slow one, our Will.) The moment Jack's words progressed in his mind, he saw that Jack was already lifting the lid. "Stop it!" He brought his foot down on the cover, slamming it back down again... on Jack's fingers.  
  
"Damn it! Bloody bastard! GET OFF!" Jack cursed. Will grinned, realizing what he did and loosened his hold on the chest.  
  
"Sorry..." Will smirked.  
  
"Damn right you should be sorry!" Jack shouted, clutching his fingers as he ran around, screaming bloody mercy. Will looked down and saw Patricia slowly waking up.  
  
"Shut up! Jack, SHUT UP. You're waking her!" Will hissed.  
  
"I'm not shutting up when you shatter my finger bones!" Jack kept his little parade of running around cabin, cursing and proceeded to kick an oak dresser. "DAMN IT!" The kick was most definitely a STUPID move and now Jack went around a-hopping and a-cursing, holding his foot in his hand.  
  
"Will?" a voice called him away from the amusing performance he was satisfied with witnessing. He looked down and saw Patricia waking up, smiling up at him as she stretched.  
  
"Morning, love." Will leaned down and gave her a kiss on top of her head. She sat up and laughed, seeing Jack and his 'ritual of healing'.  
  
"What happened to Jack?" she murmured, her voice still raspy from sleep.  
  
"No idea," Will shrugged and she just laughed harder when she saw the gratified twinkle in his eye.  
  
"... stupid chest... better have something good in that bleeding pile of driftwood..." she heard him muttering.  
  
"The chest!" she cried out, crawling out of the bed and next to chest. She flipped it open and everyone froze in place. Patricia's hand reached out and scooped out the contents. "Gold..." Her eyes widened in shock at feeling the cold metal.  
  
"Gold?" Jack asked, coming towards her. "Gold!" He dug his hands through the coins and his fingers swam through the newfound treasure.  
  
"But whose is it?" Patricia asked and her eyes went to Will who still had yet to say some words.  
  
"Does it matter?" Jack retorted, laughing. "Take what you can, give nothing back."  
  
"Jack, this is probably worth a king's ransom! Of course it matters!" Patricia cried out, unbelievingly. She looked at the chest again and saw a piece of leather protruding from a corner. "What's that?" Jack just shrugged and kept playing with the coins. Will finally stepped up and took the jutting corner out and revealed a book. He handed it to Patricia as he sat down next to her. "It's... It's a..." She flipped open the book and looked through the pages. "Actually, I don't know what it is..." She frowned and lent it to Will.  
  
"It's a captain's journal," Will answered. "The captain of the Maiden Blue, if I'm not mistaken." He pointed at the title page of the journal that read "Robert Abegnale, Proud Captain of the Maiden Blue, ship of the King's Navy." There was a drawing of a ship on the ocean waves.  
  
"That's impossible," Jack said, pulling himself out of his reverie.  
  
"What's impossible?" Will asked.  
  
"That journal couldn't possibly be Robert Abegnale of Maiden Blue's journal because Robert Abegnale and the Maiden Blue disappeared more than fifty years ago on its way to Virginia," Jack Sparrow explained. "It carried gold enough to buy the colonies and even if this WERE that gold..." he added as Will was about to interrupt to tell him that it WAS gold he held in his hand and his best friend HAD just told him that it was worth a king's ransom. "We're in the Caribbean. They wouldn't have come all the way down here."  
  
"So you believe that just because Robert Abegnale wasn't a pirate that he wouldn't be dishonest?" Patricia asked, interrupting Will and Jack's next argument.  
  
"Never said that, love," Jack answered. Patricia was starting to flip through the journal and was towards the end of it.  
  
"Well, just in case you DID think that... listen to this."  
  
AN// Woohoo! On to the next Chapter... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!! 


	9. Chapter 9

AN// Not good! I promised myself to update and I got swamped with work so... *kneels down and begs forgiveness* Oh yea.. can someone tell me what "FAFFHOO" stands for please? Thanks.

Chapter 09:: 

Patricia eyes landed on a date, beginning an entry. It was in the middle of journal but it caught her eye when it said '... cargo of gold...' She looked up for a second and saw Jack and Will looking at her to begin reading...

"'12 October 1651,

            My crew has remained loyal since our departure from England. It has been two months and our passage is nearly ending across the wide Atlantic. My crew's lack of want for the gold... that concept is staggering enough. Beneath our very feet.... beneath the wooden planks, is a cargo of gold so rich that it strains the mind to think of its value. A mutiny would only hold true to the nature of humanity but my crew is a rare find.

14 October 1651, 

            It seems that I may have spoken too soon. A sour trail appears through the lines of my men and it all seems to lead back to the one I never would have thought capable of thinking such despicable thoughts... Robert, my own son... my namesake.

            It hurts to believe that he would be capable of this. To believe that he would go against so close to the end of our journey hurts me. Of course, what I hear is only a rumor. I shall give him the benefit of the doubt. I cannot raise unsupported decisions especially against Robert.

_'"Father, may I speak to you?" a voice called from the door. The older Robert closed his journal suddenly and slipped it underneath the papers and maps strewn on his table._

_"Come in, Robert," the Captain answered. A blond man strode into the room and as he shut the door, Abegnale saw the rest of the crew peering into the room and his heart skipped a beat when he thought he saw the glint of a sword in the moonlight. "How may I hel--?" But he was interrupted by a sword drawn and placed on his neck. Robert looked at his father's eyes with an ultimatum._

_"You know what I'm about to ask, Father." The metal took a small nick of the skin just to emphasize his seriousness. "This gold is not meant to be kept in British hands."_

_"You couldn't possibly wish to sail away with the gold, Robert?" _

_"Why must we do this, Father?"  Robert exclaimed indignantly._

_"Do what?"_

_"We are the ones that toil and suffer in the sun for months at a time! We are torn from our families and yet we do not even have a fraction of the fortunes those ignorant lazy mules gain! We DESERVE this gold!" Robert shouted._

_"It's our work!" Robert pushed the sword again and Abegnale's heart skipped a beat. His older heart could not take this pressure and was beating dangerously wild. "Fine!! What do you wish of me?"_

_"Father, I do not want to harm you," Robert put down his sword. "You're blood still runs through my veins... but those men out there..." He motioned towards the door. "If you deny us our wishes, your blood will run through the planks and stain the waters..."_

_"You give me very little choice, my son," Abegnale murmured, putting his head in his hands._

_"That's exactly how I wanted it."_

_"What do you want?!"_

_"We take the gold..."_

_"That has been long established."_

_"To the colonies in the __Indies__..."_

_"What?!__ We'll be caught if we go there, if you plan to do as you propose! It's British colonies!"_

_"We shall be going to the native islands, uninhabited by our comrades..."_

_"I will die if I do not comply, won't I?"_

_"Yes you will and I'll have no power to stop them..." Robert's otherwise handsome face twisted into a mad grin. "And I wouldn't complain with one less man  to share the spoils." Abegnale stopped breathing altogether. He didn't want to. His values, ethics... his loyalty to __Britain__... He was being told to strip it all away or strip away his life. Weren't they the same thing? He looked up at the son he couldn't recognize and made a coward's decision._

_"If I'm given an oath that I will not be harmed by any man on this ship, I will agree to your mutiny."_

_"This is hardly a mutiny... More of a change of management." Robert looked at his father with a cold stare. "Will you step down from your appointment as Captain of the Maiden?"_

_"I shall," Abegnale sighed, reluctantly. He took out his golden badge that represented his rank and handed it over with shaking hands to his son._

_"Then it's done!" _'

19 October 1651

            I am no longer the Captain of the Maiden. I have put away my job and handed it over to Robert. Out course now head due west. We head for the Indies and British Colonies there. Haiti is our destination. Needless to say, I believe that what we are doing is wrong. I don't want to do this! I'm happy with the life I was living before. I sailed not for the fortunes but for the sea. Nothing else. I thought that maybe the love of the ocean would have been passed on to my son but clearly I was wrong. I shall have to go along with this. The crew has seemed serious. We are due for the Caribbean in a week or so. I shall continue my writing then.

30 October 1651

            Our luck has seemed to come against us. We have begun this voyage with twenty six men and we have stayed that number till the night before. I now write in this journal in fear that I'm the next one to die. It was all going so well! But our luck has changed since yesterday...

' "Land Ho!" a sailor shouted. After a week's trip along the coast of the America's the crew of the Maiden Blue could see the destination of Haiti. It had been so long since they had seen land. Three staggering months of nothing but blue water and crystal skies was enough for most of the men. Some still contained their sanity but, for the most part, the crew was going insane.

"What do you see?" Robert shouted from his position on the deck to the crow's nest.

"I believe it to be Haiti off the port side! There are natives on shore and they seem to have seen us! They're just waiting there!"

Abegnale watched as his son sent a half dozen scouts on to shore. They could see nor hear anything from their distance... but it SEEMED peaceful. The natives seemed to have some grasp of the English language for they were communicating well. Then, the men were led into the forest. Abegnale had a suspicious feeling that all wasn't right as he watched the scene unfold upon him but he now knew better than to try to correct his egotistical son's decisions. The welts on his back had yet to heal...

Two men stayed behind on the Maiden as the rest of the crew, twenty two in all, piled into six other boats and headed for shore... and only five managed to return to the ship that day. None were unscathed. The rest were killed. 

"...I was left with two others on the island. I can only guess that they thought us dead as well. I myself have a wound but 'tis nothing but a scratch. As it turned out the natives were none too friendly. We were led to where our scouts were led into and found ourselves looking into the most horrific sight.

ALL six of the men sent there before us were killed... And not just by simple murder of a stab in the heart but a complete disembowelment... A scene so macabre that even our strongest men couldn't hold in our horror and our meals. Before anymore reaction could have been made, the natives were sent upon us with knives just used on our comrades. With the seven on board the Maiden that escaped, there are two left, myself included who did not reach a boat. Even as I write by the light of the full moon, the natives search for me... I almost believe that my blood leaves a stench to follow so I must keep moving but my olden heart betrays my will to live.. I can barely go on.

12 November 1651

First I shall tell you a bit of good news. I write this entry aboard the Maiden. I was saved in the night before and taken back on board to be kept safe.

Now on toward ill news: The crew refuses to leave. They are blinded by hatred and revenge and they refuse to leave this horrible place.  And something else is terribly wrong... 

All those who were wounded in our battles haven't healed. Even my own cut has not even remotely clotted.  'Tis strange... My old friend, Cornelius, has already died from spilling all his blood.... He died a man shriveled up like a dried grape. His skin was a pasty white and all his strength had left him. This occurrence bothers me... Especially when I notice how my flesh is rotting at the edges of my wound... This is far from normal... I am no physician but this is FAR from normal. My strength is leaving me as well... What on Earth is going on?"

Patricia bit her lip... She didn't know what to make of this strange tale and she was wondering how it went on. She turned the page and saw that there was one last entry, four lines deep and in another's handwriting.

"15 November 1651,

My name is Nicolai Andrige. As I do not feel right this journal for my own use I shall end it with these thoughts.

Captain Robert Abegnale of the Maiden Blue

9 January 1602 – 14 November 1651"

"He died..." Patricia murmured, setting down the journal. "But that's not right... What did he mean the wounds never healed?"

Will could just look at her confused eyes and shake his head. Then he looked down and saw how her hands were shaking uncontrollably and then up to see that her face had gone ghostly white.

"What's wrong?" he asked. He stepped up and took her into his arms. He could still feel her shivering.

"I shouldn't have read it... I shouldn't have read the journal. It wasn't mine to take... Throw it back, Will. Another man's blood stains that gold," she whispered feverishly.

"What?! Hell no!" Jack yelled. "My gold now if you don't want it!"  
  


"How could you possibly want a dead man's gold?!" she snapped at him.

"That's what treasure always is, love. Otherwise, if he were alive, I wouldn't have been able to take it!"

"That's one, if not the most!, morbid thing I've ever heard," she spat out at him.

"Stop it, both of you," Will interrupted. Patricia stuck out her tongue at Jack and hid her face in Will's tunic just as Jack stuck her tongue out at her. "Are we at Tortuga yet?"

"In an hour or so..." Jack answered, peeved and sitting on the treasure to keep their hands off of it.

"We'll decide what to do with it then," Will answered.

"Fine," Patricia whispered.

"FINE!" Jack said indignantly and stomped out still covered with his various golden accessories looking like a corss between a king and a homeless drunkard.

AN// I'm grounded and on the comp without permission so must keep this short. Sorry took so long to update. Working on next chapter as we speak. Shall continue the rest of my stories as well. Sorry took so long again and I'll update as soon as I can...


	10. Chapter 10

AN// Woohoo! Trying very hard here! Please bear with me and I'm so sorry for my lack of conviction in the whole updating front. I'm REALLY trying to figure out how people find the time to write as much as they do. And note of forewarning, Will and Elizabeth 'thing' going on. Let's just say Will gets sappy for a few moments but Will Turner seems to be like such a romantic and to waste that kind of poetic mind would be such a waste.  
  
OH AND YES! New story of mine in case you are in liking of Lord of The Rings. It's called "Nine: A Modern Remix of the Trilogy" Read it if you ever find the time, please. It's a modern take of Lord of the Rings. Look it up in my profile!  
  
Chapter 10:  
  
Something was wrong with Patricia. Will could see it without as much as a glance towards her. Ever since an hour ago when she finished reading the journal, something was happening behind her dark eyes... as if war was waging behind them but she hid it well. He watched her as she helped Jack with the masts, dropping the sails to let the natural current drift them onto shore and into port.  
  
'Yes,' he smiled ruefully. 'She's hiding something from me, all right.' He saw how her eyes twisted in concentration, doing everything she can with her hands as to have her mind so occupied with her task that it wasn't capable of any other things. He leaned back as he sat down on a barrel in the shade, his eyes closed.  
  
What was wrong with her? She wasn't fragile in any sense of the word... She had seen her share of death so a story about some old man's passing shouldn't have fazed her. She had her fair share of suffering and cruelty so the cruelty the indigenous habitants of that island shouldn't have deterred her in the least. Will's hands went through his hair in frustration. He used to be able to read her so well! Now, since this stupid mess had begun, he couldn't even tell what was bothering her! He would go ask her but he felt uncomfortable doing so in front of Jack, who's been tailing the younger woman like a shadow, or Elizabeth, who's been entirely too clingy that morning... Granted, she knew nothing about the chest... seemed to have forgotten about it...  
  
Elizabeth, on that very same morning, was eyeing Will with greater interest than usual. Had he always been so charming? Sweet? Unbelievably skilled with his hands? As a married woman, she mentally slapped herself for having such impure thoughts. And so soon after my own wedding. Still, even if she IS married, she couldn't help feel a bit attracted to the pair of gorgeous brown eyes. She felt herself drawn to him as he glanced at Patricia. Her jealousy to what those two held for each other gushed. She would kill to have a man look at her with that same intangible caress that illustrated pure adoration and love, be it platonic or romantic. When she came back, she'd make Andrew look at her like that...  
  
'The trouble with the look Will and Patricia give each other is that one is confused and the other is romantic, respectively,' she thought.  
  
"You need help, Will?" a soft voice asked. Will's eyes opened by a narrow margin and saw the dirty (yet in Will's eyes, still dazzlingly beautiful head) of Elizabeth looking down on him. Patricia, might as well, have not existed because at that moment, Will was completely and utterly in love with Elizabeth again and he would give his life to hold that moment when she was smiling down at him, shyly, (SHYLY!, he yelled silently) in his hands forever.  
  
"I'm in the process of resting, Elizabeth," he teased. "Not much help you can do there..." Though there are some ideas popping into my head that I know, for a fact, if you willing to oblige to do so, would relax me so much I would die of ecstasy and arrive in Heaven only to find that it's only you...  
  
"Well... I just wanted to have some company while we go ashore," she confessed, looking at the port. "Tortuga seems very... eccentric. I can see how Jack fits into it so perfectly." Her smile turned wryly. Will's eyes tore away from beauty and to the ugliness of Tortuga herself. She really wasn't an UGLY town. It was just that...  
  
Drunkards were abundant and men were strewn about, laying in heaps, unable to move from last night's making of joy. The whores were washing up eager to start some of their more dignified work, others for some rest. Wealthy merchants stood high on their boots. They were easy to find considering that they were the only ones remotely clean.  
  
"Those men are probably on their way to Port Royal," she murmured.  
  
"They must... yes... They look much too respectable to be staying in this pla..." He wanted to continue that sentence but just as he was about to finish, an even more aristocratic-looking man emerged from a brothel, a dark woman in his arms leaning heavily on his body.  
  
"Respectable my arse," a voice said behind them. Will turned and saw Patricia looking disgusted at the crowd. They were now right by the pier, the wooden casing of the ship scraping against the wood of the port. Patricia's hands held thick ropes and she was sweating heavily from the morning work. She turned again to the couple sitting in the shade and a small smile was forced through the grimace of her exhaustion. "You two seem comfortable there so you needn't bother. Jack and I will go to shore."  
  
"I'm going with you," Will announced. "I'm not letting you go out there alone."  
  
"It's broad daylight!"  
  
"I don't care and neither will the impertinent men that wallow through these streets. They see you and..." he trailed off. "I'm not letting you go alone."  
  
"I'm not going alone. I have Jack," she replied, stubbornly.  
  
"Don't be obstinate. Jack Sparrow isn't my idea of a right escort for you," he growled.  
  
"Hey!!" Jack yelled indignantly from a level above them. "That was uncalled for, Mr. Turner. Patricia, if you please..." He waved towards the stumps used to anchor the ships to port.  
  
"Aye," she answered, hurriedly jumping the space between the ship and the port. She landed safely on the other side and began to wind the rope around the stump. She pulled at the ropes tightly and gestured to Jack that she was done. Will was about to follow but she waved him away. "You're staying, Will. You needn't come with us... You can stay with..." Her eyes turned momentarily hostile at the woman who was just standing there watching the scene unfold, fascinated. "Elizabeth."  
  
"She can come with us!" he suggested. Patricia just sighed. Jack knew when to stay out of the fight so he just went on the boardwalk to make sure the ropes were tight while Patricia jumped on the ship again to say something to Will.  
  
"Do you REALLY want to expose Elizabeth to such vile men of Tortuga?!" she shot back.  
  
"No, but you're acting as if I would care less if YOU were exposed to it!" he cried out indignantly. Patricia rolled her eyes and then grabbed Will's shirt to pull her to him. For a moment, Jack, Elizabeth and Will thought she was pulling him down for a kiss but their faces missed by scant millimeters and her mouth went near Will's ear to whisper.  
  
"I know you care about my well being because I know you love me like family, Will, but I also know you love Elizabeth more. If anything your love for her prevails over mine by hundreds of times over," Patricia whispered gently. For a moment, she was feeling quite good, saying something that she had known for the longest time. With that, she turned away never seeing the hurt look in Will's eyes.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Patricia didn't look back as she strided down the wooden planks with Jack at her side. The pirate had a distinct look in his eyes and she knew that he wanted to know what she said.  
  
"Go on... C'mon. I know you want to say it," she teased, smiling at him.  
  
"Say what?"  
  
"You're the most transparent man on the sea, Jack. You're curious. Of what, may I ask?"  
  
"I don't know of what you mean, love..." he answered unrepentantly.  
  
"Oh well... then, I guess I'm wrong," she grinned. "Just know I would have answered had you asked." She was about to tease the dark man some more but she felt an arm go around her waist.  
  
"What a beauty," an an old drunk slurred into her face. "How's bout a night with a veteran, little one?" The drunk grinned, his toothless mouth pronounced by the rotting mouth and the breath he reeked.  
  
"How about no?" she gagged. She pulled an arm up and it shot out to his face, breaking the already crooked nose. Jack had even had time to realize what was really happening. His hand was still poised at the hilt of a sword halfway out of his sheath when the old man fell in a slump on the floor. Patricia brushed any remnants of the harasser of her dress and turned to give Jack a smile. The pirate just looked at her wide-eyed and started to laugh.  
  
"That... was the most... brilliant thing... in the world!" he stuttered in between guffaws. He fell on his knees, shaking. "You... tiny.... break...nose!!" Patricia's grin faltered as she nudged the fallen man with her shoe.  
  
"Yes... Quite amusing that sweet little innocent Tricia can break some poor hobo's nose. Time to get over it, Jack," she muttered as the stares began to accumulate. "Jack!" she prodded. "God, what did you drink?! It's not that funny!" She put her arms below Jack's shoulders from behind and hefted him up. His laughs were dying and Patricia sighed in relief when the grinning people around them returned to their work.  
  
"Yes it was love," he grinned, wiping tears from his eyes. "You should have seen the look on that man's face a spilt second before you belted him! Priceless!"  
  
"Yea... right.. Ummm... to business, what are we doing on Tortuga? Already the welcoming committee has deemed this place low on my options on where I'll settle down, if ever," she said annoyed.  
  
"The Watch," Jack answered, taking her hand and keeping her close to him and distant from any other tramps within reach.  
  
"The Watch?"  
  
"A pub I use to squander about in my rounds in Tortuga," he answered. "Some 'o me ole mates are there."  
  
"Are their names available?" she poked.  
  
"Two of them are... AnaMaria and Gibbs. Elizabeth oughta know Gibbs. Went on the same boat she arrived in from London."  
  
"Must you mention that woman's name?" she hissed.  
  
"Only to see that same fire in your eyes when you're angry love," he answered cheekily. She took a fist and hit him on the arm lightly.  
  
"Shut up!" she cried. They entered the Watch and Patricia saw that it was empty. She asked Jack why so.  
  
"Said it yourself. Broad daylight. Everyone has a hangover to mull over until their nest session with... RUM!" Jack caught sight of the bar with a man and woman slowly nursing some drinks and he ran towards them. He only gave a brief glance to Patricia warning her not to come near and she stayed a distance from them sitting uncomfortably on a bench.  
  
They were muttering between themselves. Sometimes one of the two strangers would eye her carefully. The woman in particular would look her way. At first, her glances were suspicious and at all angles, unwelcoming, but as the conversation dragged on, the looks became more sympathetic and finally convivial. Jack turned towards her and motioned her forwards.  
  
"Patricia Taylor, this is AnaMaria and Gibbs," Jack introduced.  
  
"Pleasure to meet you," she murmured. Gibbs was giving her the most peculiar gaze as if seeing a ghost.  
  
"The eyes..." he whispered in such a low voice that she wondered if she was dreaming the words.  
  
"We're taking them to the ship, Tricia," Jack announced. In the week that she's known him, she knew had learned to obey her orders and knew from her father's stories that he always had right reason to give every order.  
  
"Aye, captain," she nodded. Jack motioned for the door and Patricia led the way back to the Rouge.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"What'd she say?" Elizabeth asked. She could see the shot down look in Will's eyes and she knew that whatever it was had hurt Will more than Patricia knew.  
  
"Nothing," he answered bitterly. He walked to the other side of the ship that went out into the ocean. He desperately wanted to erase the words from his head. More than that, he wanted to erase the sincere tone behind her words and the perception that he had that Patricia had truly believed that for long before this had started. Elizabeth walked up to him, putting a comforting hand on his back but he wanted it off him because it was making him think of Elizabeth instead of concentrating on his friend.  
  
"If she had, then I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it," Elizabeth said.  
  
"You didn't hear HOW she said it," he snapped.  
  
"Ahh.. so she DID say something," she said a smile turning her lips. He turned away angrily.  
  
"Damn you..." he said without heart. "It doesn't matter."  
  
"If it affects you so then I believe it does..." Will's eyes were downcast when he looked back. If Patricia could say whatever she wanted, then so could he.  
  
"You knew I was in love with you, right, Elizabeth? I loved you beyond everyone and everything else," he asked. Elizabeth's eyes widened in the admission.  
  
"y... yes... I did," she murmured. Her cheeks flushed pink and she didn't know what else to say. "And I've been flattered without a doubt..."  
  
"And you know I love Patricia as well? That I do because without her I probably wouldn't be the man I am today before you?" he kept on.  
  
"Of course. She's family to you," Elizabeth answered, looking him in the eye, somehow knowing the next question that came from his lips.  
  
"Can you give me the right answer right now if I ask you who I love more?" Her lips were pursed shut and she thought for a second.  
  
"I believe that you loved me more..." She said it in a tone that didn't brag triumph. More declarative than exclamatory. Will looked down.  
  
"So she was right," he said in a hurt voice.  
  
"Right about what?"  
  
"When I said I didn't care any less if it were her being dragged through those streets, she told me that I did care less. That I loved her but I loved you more so I care less for her than you... and technically, I should..." he said. His voice faltered in self-disappointment.  
  
"That's an awful thought to live by if you by Patricia," Elizabeth whispered.  
  
"What do you mean?" Elizabeth remained silent for a few minutes, not knowing how to word her thoughts and what she knew of the ridiculously obdurate couple.  
  
"I mean..." she started. "By intuition, I know things that you wouldn't be able to find out unless they were literally handed to you on a silver platter."  
  
"What things do you know?"  
  
"Things that need to be handed to you on a silver platter by the right person," Elizabeth answered, cryptically. "Will, you might have care for me more before all this but I think the tides have shifted. In your heart, I know that you've accepted that I'm with Andrew Norrington and I'm actually quite happy with him though not necessarily at stupid dinner parties." Will smiled at her attempt in humour. "You love her... I know that, but only YOU can really know to what extent..."  
  
With that, Will finally realized what he saw in Elizabeth that made him fall. She was fiery, beautiful and wise. She read him like a book and with that came her mysterious understanding of him. And he also realized that she was right.  
  
Before he could say his thanks, Jack returned. As he did, Patricia saw the way Will and Elizabeth looked at each other and their close bodies and mistook their understanding glance for that of one romantic. She immediately turned away when she saw Will establish her presence and she quickly avoided his eyes. Will, on the other hand, bit his lip, not knowing what to say to his best friend now.  
  
"I've come to grace you all with my presence!" he declared from the hull. With him came Patricia and two newcomers. "Will, Elizabeth, this here is AnaMaria and Gibbs." When the strangers put their heads up and saw Will, they both started.  
  
"It's uncanny," AnaMaria murmured. Will looked at her confused.  
  
"What is?" he asked.  
  
"Nothing," she said quickly. She turned to Jack and quickly changed the subject. "Where's the treasure?"  
  
"Treasure?" Elizabeth asked just as confused.  
  
"We'll explain later, Lizabeth Love," Jack replied. "It's down in the first cabin..." AnaMaria and Gibbs hurried down as if knowing the ship like the back of their hands already.  
  
"Why do they need to see the treasure?" Patricia asked, fearing the answer.  
  
"They're to help us gather the rest of it of course!" Jack answered substantiating her fears.  
  
AN// Woohoo! I updated I updated! And woohoo. I feel proud of meself. 


	11. Chapter 11

Happy Thanksgiving to all in America!! [Obviously I live in America (though not quite American *grin*)]  
  
AN// If this pans out the way I have it in my head then we're talking a double digit amount of pages here. Talking... 15 pages on Verdana size ten. (That's my default font preferences.) Well now I shall go on before I waste any of those fifteen pages. *grin* And after finishin please review!  
  
Chapter 11:  
  
"What?!" Patricia cried out stepping up to the man almost a full head taller than her. "Jack! I SAID that there would absolutely be NO treasure hunting involving what I... do you understand that? ME, MYSELF and I, found! That gold was stained with blood and I'll not have you exploit it!"  
  
"I have no intentions with following your orders, little madam," he said softly, putting a hand on her cheek. She immediately slapped the hand away and glared at Jack.  
  
"Do NOT call me little!"  
  
"What! What treasure?!" Elizabeth cried out confused.  
  
"From last night, you idiot! Must everything be spelled out for you, milady?" Patricia derided.  
  
"Don't be petty, love. This is not the time for your paltry rivalry with Miss Swann..." Jack rolled his eyes.  
  
"There is no such rivalry," she growled in a dangerously low voice. "Let me tell you something Sparrow. You might have seen some man disemboweled before. You can care in the least about such things. Had I seen it I wouldn't have been bothered in the least because, contrary to popular belief, I'm no pure, innocent virgin." Will started at that accidental confession. "But a man died with that gold as did a whole ship of over two dozen men including his son who revolted against him, ready to kill him at one faulty move. I don't know about you but mutinous thoughts seem to stab at a soft spot... Or maybe you're too high and mighty to be the victim of such betrayal?"  
  
The mention of mutiny sparked a fire in Jack and he grabbed Patricia by the shoulders pushing her against one of the deck walls. Will made a lunge towards the pirate but Jack just shouted for William's retreat. "Now you listen here, Miss Taylor." The dark eyes bored into hers and for a moment, Elizabeth and Will thought that Jack might actually lay a harmful finger on Patricia. "I shall have no talk whatsoever of a mutiny on ANY boat I command, understand?"  
  
"Yes," Patricia said bitterly.  
  
"And I am your captain and I will be addressed as such," Jack ordered.  
  
"Aye captain." Jack promptly backed off and stomped away to the wheel.  
  
"Bastard," Patricia muttered and she stormed down to the cabins.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
AnaMaria looked through the gold shimmering before her.  
  
"This is unbelievable," she said in a hushed voice.  
  
"The treasure of the Maiden Blue! We'll be rich! We can buy all of Tortuga if we find the all of it!" Gibbs exclaimed rummaging it the same way Jack had done so hours ago.  
  
"But how'd it come by here? Jack didn't explain," AnaMaria doubted. "It was meant for the colonies. What are they doing so far south? The currents don't even pass this way had they been washed up here from the north."  
  
"They didn't wash up here. They were deliberately sailed to the Caribbean," a voice answered. They turned and saw the young woman they were introduced to at The Watch.  
  
"Deliberately?" AnaMaria asked.  
  
"Yes." Patricia walked in and grabbed the leather journal and tossed it to the other woman's lap. "That will explain it all but in a nutshell, the whole ship had a mutiny and decided to take the gold here. They stopped at an island just south west of Tortuga, I'm guessing, and they were pretty much massacred by the natives."  
  
"That seems like quite a typical story to come by," Gibbs said distractedly.  
  
"You don't know how they were massacred," she shot back.  
  
"Disembowelment?"  
  
"Half the time but something strange went on..." Patricia sat down and looked at the treasure, mesmerized. "The captain... Abegnale was just wounded. Not fatally, mind you. He said 'twas but a scratch... but he died. And another man, his name slips my mind, he was also only scratched but from what Abegnale writes he was sucked of his blood. His wounds refused to heal..."  
  
AnaMaria's features darkened and Jack entered just to hear her say, "I don't like this. I don't think this treasure is a good idea to find."  
  
"What?! You're Kidding me!" Jack exclaimed the same time that Patricia shouted, "Thank you! Someone who understands!" They looked at each other with completely opposite expressions of triumph and confusion.  
  
"Why the hell not?!" Jack cried out.  
  
"I just... Hasn't your past experiences taught you anything of accursed treasure?!" AnaMaria snapped.  
  
"Accursed yes... Those buried in the sand by a rowdy groups of arrogant bastard, no," he answered cheekily.  
  
"You'll end up straight like Barbossa," AnaMaria said scathingly. "You're a rowdy arrogant bastard yourself..."  
  
"But a not-so-stupid, rowdy, arrogant bastard much unlike that aforementioned arse," Jack retorted.  
  
"Who's Barbossa?" Patricia interrupted feeling left out of the banter.  
  
"You haven't told her of the Pearl?" AnaMaria asked almost in shock.  
  
"The Black Pearl?" Patricia interjected again.  
  
"She probably already knows with her father's stories..." Jack answered in a defensive tone. "And 't isn't a story I love to hear about so NO I haven't repeated it me self." Jack strode to the treasure, grabbing some gold and carrying it like an infant in his arms. "... Beautiful."  
  
"I don't know the story. What story? Tell me the story!" She wanted to whine some more until the three pirates looking at each other holding a silent conversation told her what she wanted but at that moment, Will entered not having the least care for any hunt for some rich cache.  
  
"Tricia?" he murmured, putting a hand on her arm. Patricia looked up at Will in surprise. "Tricia, please come with me..."  
  
"I need to talk to Jack and where's Elizabeth?" she asked trying to distract him. Elizabeth, as if on cue, entered the room and saw Mr. Gibbs at the chest.  
  
"Mr. Gibbs?" Elizabeth called aghast, finally recognizing the man. "What are you doing here?" They started to begin a conversation whilst Will took Patricia's attention again.  
  
"Please, Tricia love, come on the deck with me," Will pleaded. Patricia least wanted to go up there alone with Will. She was, at length, tired of harboring feelings for Will and truth be told she wanted out of this painful friendship though it was breaking her heart to think of losing her best friend but it was breaking her heart as well just to be with him.  
  
"Fine..." she muttered. Will led her out and took her on deck. The port was quite busy and noisy so they went to the far side of the ship again, away from the buzz of Tortuga. "What is it?"  
  
"Do you actually believe what you said to me?" Will asked keeping her hands in his.  
  
"Of course I do. I wouldn't have said it otherwise," she replied. Then Tricia finally saw the crestfallen look that captured his face. "Don't tell me you think I'm wrong." Will just ignored her scoffing comment.  
  
"You've really thought so shoddily of me that you thought I cared for you less than Elizabeth?" he asked saddened.  
  
"Don't tell me you think I'm wrong," she repeated now quite incensed by his lack of knowledge of his own feelings.  
  
"Patricia, you should know that I care about you as much if not more than Elizabeth..." He wanted her to understand that the love he had for each of them were different. And that he may have been in love with Elizabeth, he would still have died for the woman before him now but instead of looking flattered at his assertion, she laughed.  
  
"Bollocks if I ever heard any," she chuckled taking her hands out of Will's. Neither noticed how AnaMaria, Gibbs, Jack and Elizabeth had come up to watch the two, enthralled.  
  
"How can you say that?!"  
  
"I can because I've known it since I was ten!"  
  
"Known what?!"  
  
"Known that you would ALWAYS love Elizabeth more than me no matter how much I loved you!" Patricia had meant it for him to understand that her feelings had outgrown friendship for quite some time now but that BARELY subliminal message bypassed Will completely and Elizabeth groaned inwardly at just how daft the boy was.  
  
"You are a sister to me! You'll never be any less. I'd die for you and you know that! To find out that you think any less of me was the biggest insult I could have suffered from you."  
  
"God, you are such an idiot sometimes! Why can't you ever see what's right in front of your eyes?!" she cried out now so aggravated with the conversation that she was tearing.  
  
"What are you talking about!? You're talking in circles! You keep on telling me that you love me when I already so obviously know that!"  
  
"Oh my god!" Jack groaned out loud, throwing his hands up and turning his back on them in frustration. "That man is TRULY Bill's son."  
  
"You know I love you but you don't know how much!!"  
  
"Of course I do! I'm not stupid!" With that, the other three that departed from Port Royal laughed out loud.  
  
"Stupid is an understatement, William," Patricia laughed.  
  
"What the hell are you saying then?!!" Patricia was ready to pull out her hair with aggravation. With one last effort to make him see the true extent of her feelings, she put her arms around his neck and bent him down to her lips.  
  
Will had no time to react at all. One second, he was agitated beyond reason, the next he felt the same lips he felt a night ago on his except this time, they were real and they were prodding his own open. After a few seconds, Will finally responded, his mouth opening in a moan. His eyes closed, finding that he wanted to continue kissing his best friend, and his hands found her waist to pull her closer but she broke away, tears in her eyes.  
  
"NOW do you finally see?" she asked defeated. Patricia tore away from Will, not wanting to stay to hear the apologies saying he didn't feel the same she was afraid would come from the lips she's finally had the opportunity to taste fully. She ran and jumped to the pier to hide in the crowd and headed towards The Watch.  
  
^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^  
  
"AnaMaria, follow her and make sure she's safe," Jack ordered softly and took like a wind after the unnerved girl.  
  
"No, I will," Will disrupted. He was about to give chase but Jack pulled him back. "Let me go, Sparrow. I need to get to her."  
  
"You think she'll really want to face you right now?" Jack asked.  
  
"I'll MAKE her face me!"  
  
"He's right, Will," Elizabeth murmured. Will's face calmed from its near panic.  
  
"What WAS that?" he asked completely confused.  
  
"You are probably the most dense man on Earth!" Elizabeth exclaimed.  
  
"I don't know. His old man might give him a run for his money," Gibbs muttered.  
  
"What?" Will asked, not quite sure he had heard right.  
  
"Nothing." Gibbs immediately turned aside and looked at Jack, apologetically.  
  
"This is making my head hurt," Will mumbled. "Just leave me be till the woman brings Tricia back." He put an aggravated hand through his hair and went downstairs to clear his head.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
AnaMaria found Patricia at the corner of the near-empty room crying softly. Her thoughts wavered again at just how much the teenager reminded her of an old friend she'd lost some time before. She quickly got a drink from the bar server and put it on the table for Patricia to drink.  
  
"Drink that," she ordered. Patricia looked up and saw AnaMaria looking at her with stern eyes.  
  
"What is it?" Patricia asked her voice cracking.  
  
"Just something to help you straighten out..." Patricia took a whiff of the liquid and cringed.  
  
"It smells like alcohol..."  
  
"You're a bright one arentcha?" AnaMaria rolled her eyes sarcastically. She looked at the clock and saw that it was ten past three. "Have you eaten yet?"  
  
Patricia shook her head as she took a sip of the coarse liquor. It burned her throat but it somehow eased all the tense muscle that contracted in her body and her mind seemed to slip from rationality so she drank a little more. AnaMaria called for bread and when Patricia had drunk half the glass, she began to devour the food presented before her. Four hours later she had eaten two loaves and had drunk more pints of rum she could count (then again, at that point, she was drunk and couldn't count to two...) whilst AnaMaria was slowly and carefully nursing hers to keep sober... Patricia was drinking herself into a stupor.  
  
"... And then dada left. Died cuz the horsies went mad," Patricia continued leaning on the table as AnaMaria leaned back in her chair amused, listening to the young girl tell her story in half-slurred words. "Me an' Will gots to be roomies at Browns! I put away all the money da left me to live wit Will like pitiable bloody dogs... And den Brown became a damn alocololic... Promised meself I wud neva drank a drop ov aloco... acolo... This stuff..." She pointed to her newly filled mug and took a swig. She laughed loudly, her whole body leaning back but kept herself from falling.  
  
"Fat chance of keeping that promise now..." AnaMaria chuckled.  
  
"Ya! And tisn't even da first of my drunken self coming out..."  
  
"Isn't eh? When was the first then?"  
  
"First and ONLY time mind you... Did back a year ago. I fell in love with the daftest jackass on Port Royal didja know?" AnaMaria nodded hearing that phrase for the hundredth time already that day. "Yea well, Lizbabeth got engaged to some old fart who wore a damn wig. Ole enuf to be her fada. Willy went all boohoo. Me? Depressed. Felt like stabbing him if I had to comfy him one more time about neva getting the wun he lubs. Like he knew what it was like... Bastard..." Patricia put her chin on the table, reminiscing.  
  
"So took me onesies off to a pub one night and got drunk, slept with some strangler in one o' dose teensy streets and Will neva knew a damn thing. Doesn't notice me, dats why... I coulda danced in front of him with nuttin but a pearl necklace and he wouldna noticed." She said it so sadly that AnaMaria felt for her. Her tears were coming down again and she started to sob. Her head started to hit itself on the table whilst chanting, "Bastard... bastard... bastard... bastard." AnaMaria put her hand out stopped the head from regaining contact with the wooden table. She smiled understandingly at the girl and just looked at the wreck of her on the other side of the table.  
  
"I think it's time we went back to the ship," she said kindly.  
  
"No!" Patricia shrieked. "I won't! You can't make me." That's when AnaMaria realized her mistake of letting Patricia wallow in her sorrows amidst a pool of intoxicating fluids. "I won't face him... He'll say 'Sorry, Tricia- love, but you know I'm madly in love with Lizbabeth there who's married to the head of ALL of the British Navy in the Carbarrean. But you'll always be my lil sis no matter what.' No... I won't live with that. No!" Patricia's head fell again onto the table, chanting her mantra but her shrieks had turned the heads of the pub proprietors that had begun to fill the room. Two men that AnaMaria was a bit acquainted with came up the two women.  
  
"Ana... Need a little assistance?" one named Sergio asked.  
  
"Would you mind?" she asked. "She's drank enough to satisfy Jack Sparrow and I can't get her back to the ship without her kicking up a storm on the way."  
  
"No problem, Ana," Antonio grinned. The two well-built men took up an arm of the limp Patricia and began to drag her through the streets with AnaMaria closely following. Patricia kicked and screamed bloody mercy on the way and Sergio and Antonio could barely keep her up. They were reaching port and the two brothers were ready to just drop and run when Patricia caught sight of the ship and let her weight drop. Sergio and Antonio grunted as the girl fell to her knees sobbing.  
  
"I don't want to go... Please AnaMaria... Please," Patricia pleaded. Her seriousness helped her sober up even if it was by the most minute fraction. "I've lived most of my life... bearing Will not loving me... I've survived almost solely on the tiniest chance he'll love me back..." She curled into a ball, hiding her face in her hands on the cobblestone road, convulsing in tears. "Please... please don't make me go back and listen to him say that all I was living on was just an illusion..."  
  
"You don't know that!" AnaMaria cried out. "You don't know that at all! How could you know if you don't go over there and listen to what he has to say?!"  
  
"I don't want to listen... I want to keep my 'what ifs' and have the satisfaction he didn't have the chance to completely shatter in a hundred words or less. I'd rather slowly die than hear those words from Will..." she sobbed.  
  
"You need to get to the ship..." AnaMaria said. "Get off the streets. You need to get in before it gets dangerous... The only reason that no criminal has touched us is because Antonio and Sergio are with us... Go back..." Patricia just sat on the ground, silent for a few moments then finally spoke.  
  
"I'll go back if I don't have to talk or see Will until I'm ready..." AnaMaria nodded. She looked at the uncomfortable looking men with a request.  
  
"Wait here. I'll be right back." And she ran to the ship to make good of the deal.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"It's dark! We... I need to go after her! She could be hurt... She could be dead!" Will raged while ropes held his hands back around a mast to keep him from running. "Why won't you let me go??!!" He had emerged from his seclusion still thoroughly confused at sundown and found the ship to still lack Patricia's presence. He had tried to go out and look for her but all three remainders had told him no. Finally, at Jack's orders, hew as tied against a mast to keep him from doing something stupid. Even Elizabeth sympathized with this action so she just sat down next to Will as he was dying down from his rantings.  
  
"Will, she's safe with AnaMaria," Elizabeth said in a soft voice as Will's head drooped forward in misery.  
  
"I need to know she's safe..." he replied tears falling down to the wooden flooring.  
  
"But making her face you will make her runaway more," she explained. "She's finally confessed that she loves you... She's probably afraid that you'll reject her now that she has... You can't make her face you right now. She'll run, no matter what you say." Will remained quiet. "I'm curious, though..."  
  
"Curious to what?" he asked his voice cracking with shedded tears.  
  
"Do you love her?"  
  
"Of course I do," he answered automatically.  
  
"I mean, the way that SHE loves YOU."  
  
"I..." His voice wavered, trying to think it through. "I don't know... I've been asking myself that all day but I can't find the answer."  
  
"It's an easy question, Will," Elizabeth snorted. "Do you love Patricia Taylor? Do you care about her above all things? Do you love her laugh? Do you love having her all to yourself and no one else's and have no purpose of allotment? Do you dream about her at night? Do you love having her arms?"  
  
"I don't know if I love her romantically but I do care about her... I'd die for her... Do anything to keep her from harm..." Elizabeth smiled, hearing the wistful tone in his voice.  
  
"Continue," she prodded.  
  
"I... I love her laugh, yes. It's so... so uninhibited," Will went on. His tears were clearing and he was sitting up properly now. "And it goes up and down as if she's unintentionally singing..." He thought for a second and remembered the party and his jealousy at the frenchman holding her hand and at Jack when he had touched Patricia even in the slightest. "She's mine," he said resolutely. "And no... I'm NEVER sharing her with anyone.."  
  
"What happens when she gets married?" His head furrowed at the newfound possibility. He never really though his Tricia would get married to someone else and leave him to fend for himself.  
  
"I... I don't know," he answered. "I guess... I'd be happy for her... more really for the groom to get someone like Tricia to care for him..." Even on his ears, his manner sounded completely halfhearted.  
  
"Well I guess you won't have to share since you'll have to give her away completely. No sharing there..." Elizabeth grinned.  
  
"I'm NEVER giving her away," he snapped bitterly. The he coiled back realizing that he sounded irrational. Of course he had to. Was he really feeling so selfish to keep his Tricia to himself for all time, even when he found a wife of his own? Then he mentally admonished himself for connecting a possesive pronoun to her name.  
  
"YOUR Tricia?" Elizabeth had caught it and Will just scowled. "Nevermind..." Then, Will's mind went on to the last two questions.  
  
"I dreamt about her last night..."  
  
"In a romantic fantasy sort of way, Will," Elizabeth interjected. "Dreaming that she cooked you green eggs and ham isn't exactly saying much of anything..."  
  
"It WAS in a romantic sort of way..." he spoke softly. "But I've had dreams of her for years now... And at first, I was really embarassed... But then, afterwards... after awhile, we were always so affectionate with each other that we were pretty much doing living my dreams without the romantic strings or the kissing... or..." He blushed slightly. ".,. umm yea..." His face straightened out. "I always held her in my arms... We'd spend nights just holding each other sometimes and... Romance never really sprouted in reality..."  
  
"Okay so let me get this right.. You'd die for her, love her laugh, never even THOUGHT of sharing her with any other man, much less giving her away on her wedding day, dream of her everynight for quite some time now and would spen nights just holding her content with JUST that..." Will nodded. "And you don't know if you love her? My god! You are so incredibly stupid, it should be recorded!"  
  
"Okay!" Will cried out defeated. "Okay... so maybe I do love her..." he sighed. He heard a whoop from behind and saw Jack grinning.  
  
"And we do make some progress!!" Jack shouted from his post. He gave a cheeky grin and Will returned it with a scowl that softened when he heard Elizabeth's soft love.  
  
"Okay... fine... so maybe I'm in love with her." Then he turned when he heard the quick footfalls of AnaMaria returning, and to Will's trepidation, she was returning alone...  
  
AN// Okay so this DID pan out the way I wanted it to but it continued a little too long. Not giving a break in between and ending without a cliffhanger is really... not me. *grin* To continue would've been tedious for tedious.. IONO. That was how I perceived it so I'm calling a halt here and I'll update... REALLY soon.  
  
Just Review please!!! 


	12. Chapter 12

AN// *laughs* I got a flame... Norrington Defense League has put me on their hit list. Yes welsh this is my retort:  
  
"If you can't annoy somebody, there's very little point in writing." - Kingsley Amis  
  
Chapter 12:  
  
"Where is she?!" Will exclaimed feeling the blood drain from his face. "Why isn't she with you?! You were suppose to bloody go after her!"  
  
"Why's he tied up?" AnaMaria grinned. Had the situation not called for urgency, she would have taken the time to point and laugh.  
  
"He wouldn't calm down. We had to restrain him before he could get lost," Jack replied, patting Will on the head with a swollen hand. The morning's contact between the chest lid and his hand had left a lasting reminder on Jack. His hand now resembles something of a small ball with sausages as fingers.  
  
"Where the hell is Patricia?!!" Will almost screamed. AnaMaria's grin fell away and she looked at all of them seriously.  
  
"She ran to the pub. She refuses to return..." she answered.  
  
"So you left her there?!!!!!" Will shouted.  
  
"Of course not... She's just off port with two of my friends." AnaMaria looked Will in the eye to emphasize her next point. "Patricia's an emotional wreck. She's drunk enough rum to almost kill her."  
  
"Jack, PLEASE take these damn restraints off! I'll talk to her," Will pleaded.  
  
"She says she'll come back only if she doesn't have to deal with you until later on..." AnaMaria continued.  
  
"Fine! I won't say a thing about today. I'll pretend we're back in Port Royal and none of this crap ever happened. Just let me get to her to let me have the peace of mind that she's NOT hurt..."  
  
"By dealing with you, she means that she doesn't want to see or talk to you..." AnaMaria said gently. Will stopped struggling for a moment. "Jack, get him into a cabin."  
  
"You do it, Ana... I want to talk to Miss Taylor a bit," Jack answered starting to make his staggering walk across the ship.  
  
"Jack Sparrow, did you not hear me?" AnaMaria said poisonously. She stood in front of him her dark hair blowing in the wind, her eyes flaming, making her look strangely menacing. "I said for YOU to get him into a cabin and YOU make sure he stays in there."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Now, Sparrow!" AnaMaria interrupted. She watched as Jack reluctantly stalked off and managed to grab a hold of Will's bindings and pull him below deck.  
  
"Bloody women... I'm the damn captain and I can't even do what I want because of stupid AnaMaria... I swear if that woman didn't mean more than rum to me I would..." Jack grumbled before, almost literally, throwing Will into his room. With a swift maneuver of the knife, he cut the ropes and sat himself down on the floor, his back leaning on the door to prevent Will's escape.  
  
"This is stupid! I can't even bleedin' see my own best friend!" Will shouted.  
  
"Oh, for God's sake, shut up!" Jack snapped, still bitter about being so malleable by AnaMaria. "If you weren't so daft in the first place, you wouldn't even have this problem to deal with so do shut up and sit down."  
  
Will looked at Jack just as acrimoniously but followed the orders. He observed his surroundings and kept his ears alert for any indication that Patricia was returning. Sure enough, after a few minutes, Will could hear several people's footsteps hurrying to and fro in the hallway just outside. Quiet, weary sobs just barely passed through the thin wooden walls and Will's heart wrenched knowing exactly who was crying so fervently on the other side. After a slam of the door, Will looked at Jack expectantly.  
  
"What?" Jack asked, noticing Will's eyes.  
  
"Shouldn't you be leaving me in peace now?"  
  
"Will, I'm not stupid. I know that the moment I step out of this door, you will count several minutes, then exit yourself to enter Tricia's room." Will's face flushed a light pink at being so transparent. He looked out the cabin window and just huffed, agitated.  
  
"If it were AnaMaria in that cabin and you were me, you would be just as keen to go into that room as I am," Will reasoned, remembering Jack's grumbles a few minutes earlier.  
  
"Well, since you go so far as switching our places, mate, you, in turn, would also be sitting your arse on this same exact place as meself because Tricia would have asked you to keep me out of AnaMaria's sight for some given time and you would never EVER have the heart to say no to your dear Patricia and would do anything in your power to mind all of your love's orders," Will retorted.  
  
"I would not..."  
  
"Ha! Don't you dare deny it, William. You have that need to fulfill all of Patricia's wishes as I do with AnaMaria, as Philip Taylor did with Andrea and as your father did with Emma." Will's face then drained of colour at the realization that he had completely forgotten the hints Jack had given him that he had known his father. Jack, just rolled his eyes. "Took you long enough to realize..."  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
AnaMaria watched the two men reluctantly drag their feet below deck and turned to Elizabeth.  
  
"Elizabeth, get Patricia's beds ready. And she'll need water so be sure to have a pitcher on her bed stand when we get there." With that she turned to fetch Patricia. Elizabeth pursed her lips together, unwilling to serve Patricia, of all people, but she really had no choice so she did as she was told.  
  
AnaMaria ran back to where Sergio and Antonio were sitting on the cobblestone, trying to cheer the girl up. Patricia was still disinclined to board the Rouge.  
  
"Must I?" she asked wearily, never even looking up when AnaMaria arrived, telling her that it was safe for her to go on without seeing Will.  
  
"He's hidden. I promise," AnaMaria said.  
  
"It doesn't matter... I can feel him. No matter what I can feel him when he's near even if I can't see him," she murmured then sighed. "But I don't have a choice now do I?"  
  
"No, you don't. Now upsie daisy. You are in need of a bed and quarters to be safe in." AnaMaria motioned the men beside her to carry Patricia on. Just as they got on the planks of the ship, Patricia began to sob quietly again.  
  
"I'm sorry... I don't mean to cry.. Not anymore," Patricia whispered, stumbling on her way through the narrow aisle. Her body suddenly stopped at Will's cabin door.  
  
"Come on, Patricia," AnaMaria coaxed. Patricia's head was bowed down as her tears kept coming, even through she closed her eyes tightly and her hand rested at the wood separating her from Will. Then, she snatched it away as if realizing her hand was on a hot stove, and walked to her own cabin, falling into her cold bed. "Drink the water... It'll make you feel better." Elizabeth was sitting at the edge of the bed, and helped the girl drink from the glass.  
  
"I want to rest," Patricia murmured. AnaMaria nodded and she motioned everyone out. When she blew out the candle, Patricia fell into the pillows and caved into her dreamless sleep.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"You really are Bill's son," Jack groaned, his head leaning back, and hitting the door behind him. "Extremely stupid and slow and yet still a good man and rivaled me for the women's affections, if I do say so myself."  
  
"You knew my father? How?"  
  
"Knew him for the years he spent on sea. A good man... A good pirate..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said, Knew him..."  
  
"I meant the last part!"  
  
"Ah! Yes..." Jack smirked through his black hairs. "That would grab your attention, I gather." Will just stood staring at the man before him. "I said, he was a good man AND a damn good pirate as well."  
  
"My father wasn't a pirate," Will growled.  
  
"Was too... and let me tell you, you're reluctance to meet with that fact was highly predictable," Jack answered.  
  
"He was a merchant! Nothing more, nothing less! He wouldn't leave his family behind to live as a pirate. He was lost at sea!" Will yelled angrily.  
  
"No. Definitely not a merchant... You could say he was definitely less than that as a gentleman o' fortunes. No, he didn't leave you and Emma behind but you CAN say he was lost at sea," Jack continued.  
  
"He wasn't a pirate!!"  
  
"Get over it, man," Jack exclaimed. "You make it sound like he's automatically a bad man when he was the better of many of us!"  
  
"A pirate is a vile scoundrel who doesn't deserve to live. A slow and painful death is nothing but their just reward." Will said it so passionately that Jack was made to wonder what made him think so. Of course, Jack knew their bad reputation, and he guessed that it was sort of deserved, but this blacksmith spoke of them as if they were the Devil's spawn.  
  
"We may be thieves and slackers, Will, but why would you think we were all so damned to Hell?" Jack asked softly. Will looked away and stared out into the windows.  
  
"I don't speak of it..." he snapped. "Not even to Patricia. His father may have known but Patricia never will..."  
  
"This may be news to you, man, but I'm not Patricia. The resemblance is uncanny though, I know," Jack said so nonchalantly that Will almost thought he was serious.  
  
"I mean, if I don't even tell HER, there's very little chance I'll tell YOU."  
  
"Oh... well, don't be petty now, Will. I'd like to know why you hate me so much without even knowing me."  
  
"I've lived on this boat with you for more a week now, Jack. I know you and still would throw you overboard, given the chance," Will replied, scathingly.  
  
"Ouch. That was a blow to the heart, mate, but don't change the subject."  
  
"I told you! I don't speak of it."  
  
"If you tell me, I'll let you go." Will stood silent for a moment.  
  
"I don't think it's worth it." Jack just shrugged. "And how do I know you'd pull through you with your promise?"  
  
"You don't. You make that decision and it seems you've already made it so there's really no use in me trying to talk you out of that..."  
  
"Do you know of the Black Pearl?" Will interrupted and that shut Jack up at once.  
  
"A rumour or some... Why do you ask?"  
  
"It's a pirate ship."  
  
"Well spotted, lad. What other obvious points would you like to tell me?" Jack smirked.  
  
"It took the ship I was aboard on the crossing from England..."  
  
"It's a pirate ship. It takes other ships for a sport, William."  
  
"Do the crews of such ships also imprison and beat the children aboard?" Once again, Jack was quiet.  
  
"So that's it, is it?" Jack said softly. "They took your ship almost a decade ago and they beat you..."  
  
"A week in the hands of scoundrels that don't deserve to live, Jack. Pirates, just like you," Will hissed. "A week of hell until they realized I was nothing but baggage to them so with the next ship they attacked, I was thrown into its flotsam and jetsam. By mere fortune, Elizabeth's ship passed and I was saved."  
  
"And you tell me this why?"  
  
"Because you said pirates are just thieves and slackers... They're also murderers and torturers, Sparrow, and no matter what I will never forgive them and you said it yourself. My father was a good man so he would NEVER mix with such company," Will replied. Jack just sat on his spot, thinking.  
  
"We're not all like that," Jack defended himself.  
  
"That does not change what those men were, though," he retorted.  
  
"Will, your father was a pirate..."  
  
"LIAR!"  
  
"You can or can't accept that. It won't change the fact that it's true... And he was... He sailed under the flag of the Black Pearl as did Patricia's father..."  
  
"That is where you cross the line! Patricia's father was a good man! He took me in when no one else would!"  
  
"Your father and hers were friends, y'know that? Both of them were pirates, but as respectable as they could be," Jack continued ignoring Will.  
  
"Do you mean to tell me that my own father beat me for the sheer pleasure of it?" Will yelled.  
  
"No..." Jack denied. "He USED to bear under the Black Pearl but hasn't for ten years..."  
  
"What do you mean?" Will's eyes narrowed in suspicion at Jack's reluctant glance.  
  
"You wouldn't believe me..."  
  
"No, I mostly likely wouldn't but I still want to hear this story..."  
  
"Fine..." Jack sighed. With that he started on the story about the lost treasure of Cortez, his mutineering crew, Barbossa, and the curse placed on them by their greed.  
  
"You talk of curses and zombies and I really don't believe you but what does this have to do with my father?" Will asked.  
  
"Of the men aboard my ship, two men remained faithful to me," Jack replied. "That would you father, William Turner Senior, and his best friend, Philip Taylor. The difference between the two was that on a pit stop on the way to Isla de Muerta, Phil came off because he heard news that his daughter was living off the streets. Bootstrap wasn't so lucky."  
  
"Bootstrap?"  
  
"Bootstrap Bill... Swear you look just like him."  
  
"What happened to him?"  
  
"From what I heard.. rumours and such, he was strapped to a cannon ball and blasted to the bottom of the ocean because he thought the crew deserved the curse for betraying me." Jack leaned back in satisfaction. "Like I said... good man."  
  
"He's dead?"  
  
"Probably in pieces but not dead," Jack said casually. "You can't kill what ain't alive, Will. That's what happened to the Black Pearl." Will looked at him, slowly beginning to wonder if he was telling the truth. "I think Phil realized who you were the moment he saw you. Bill was his best mate. He owed it to him to take care of his child as if it was his own."  
  
"So they were both pirates, huh?" Will whispered, in disbelief, falling into his bed. "Both of them... Figures where Patricia gets all the feisty blood..."  
  
"Oooo... Feisty... I like feisty," Jack grinned. Will could almost read the dirty thoughts passing through the pirates head and threw a small pillow at him.  
  
"Not about Patricia, you dirty old man."  
  
"I'm not old!"  
  
"But you're mind is as dirty as this place."  
  
"No comment." Silence passed between them only to be broken by Jack once again. "Does Patricia know about any of this?"  
  
"I don't think so... She would have told me."  
  
"Well, are you telling her?" Jack prodded.  
  
"No," he answered after thinking for a moment. "I don't think we should..."  
  
"Good decision, young Turner. Good..." Jack stood up and brushed himself off. "Now I take my leave and I shall lock the door behind me."  
  
"Wait! You told me you'd let me go after I tell you!"  
  
"Yes, I believe I did but you also declined that offer and THEN told me the story so that serves as no deal at all," Jack replied. "Good night, Mr. Turner..." And he left, leaving Will with his eyes looking murderous for being scammed.  
  
AN// hahah... ANSWERS! Yay... okay... Look for a new chapter soon. I've got leisure time full speed ahead. *grin* 


	13. Chapter 13

AN// By the time this is up, I'm hoping a few chapters of my new project will be written. It's a songfic. or more likely... song NOVEL... It's based on the story of Helen and Paris... The whole Iliad trip. *shrug* Right now it's in the [[Homer]] Category in books but in all reality, I'm writing this because of my Orlando Obsession (grin) so when the movie Troy comes out in June/July, I'll move it to the [[Troy]] movie category that will inevitably come alive by then. *laughs* So please go on up there and take a looksee.  
  
Chapter 13:  
  
"He's shut tight?" AnaMaria asked, when she came upon Jack locking the door to a cabin. Jack just nodded and walked away. "What's wrong with him?"  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
The next morning, Patricia awoke with what could possibly be the worst hangover ever to be experienced by any person on the planet, accounting for all past hangovers all the way to the hangovers of the end of days.  
  
"I don't like rum." she muttered. Elizabeth sat next to her, making the bed rock. "Do that again and I'll strangle you." She tried to put her head up to glare at her, but it hurt too much to move. "Strangle you when I can lift my head. yes. Good idea to wait."  
  
"Well, that's your just reward for drinking so much," Elizabeth retorted. "You look an awful mess."  
  
"I FEEL like an awful mess," she groaned.  
  
"AnaMaria said to drink water. It'll help with the headache," Elizabeth said, giving Patricia a glass. She took it up and drank the water in gulps. "He's waiting on deck."  
  
"Then I won't come on deck," Patricia replied simply. "I can barely sit up and I'm expected to deal with him?! No. I REALLY do not think so."  
  
"Stop being so obstinate!"  
  
"I have a hangover, Elizabeth. I'm not being stubborn. I'm being rational," she retorted.  
  
"You weren't rational when you ran out on us and got yourself drunk," Elizabeth snapped.  
  
"Well, SOR.RY. I hope my lapse of judgment hasn't put a wrinkle on your plans. I mean, it must be a bit more difficult to seduce Will when he's in such a state," Patricia glared at her, pointedly.  
  
"Why do you feel so threatened by me? It's not like I'm after Will's affections!"  
  
"Yes, you are. This ship is quite small compared to our town and, unfortunately for me, I see every move every person makes."  
  
"So?"  
  
"So I can see all your actions. Around Will, you're this sweet, innocent, young newlywed, captured against her own free will and hasn't an ill thought for those around her. You are endlessly wise and beautiful even when you have the greatest of smudges on your face and that isn't even when I'm around the both of you," Patricia muttered. Her head was pounding away but she kept on going. "When the three of us are present at one time, it seems like the radiance is increased by a few exponents and all of a sudden you're the damn Helen of Port Royal. When it's just the two of us, you're actually quite scathing like your implication that I stole my dress. SOOO excuse me for having not-very-flattering impressions of the great Elizabeth Swann."  
  
"Helen of Port Royal?" Elizabeth asked not quite getting the reference.  
  
"It's a reference towards Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman in Greece. Greek mythology," Patricia groaned.  
  
"You're quite educated for a blacksmith, Miss Taylor," Elizabeth said.  
  
"Leave me alone, Elizabeth. I don't want to deal with you." Patricia buried her face into her pillows, not liking the prodding look that Elizabeth was giving her. She could see that the other wanted a brief history lesson and, realizing that Elizabeth was not leaving until the conversation served her purposes, whatever purposes they were, she sat up and took a drink of water again before looking at Elizabeth with less hostile eyes. "Do you remember my father at all?"  
  
"A merchant. Died about six years ago?"  
  
"Good," she nodded. "How about Ralph Owens?"  
  
"What of him? He was hanged almost a decade ago for fraud and stealing. I remember he was the wealthiest man in Port Royal when I was younger and it turned out he stole everything from a merchant family. He got caught, of course."  
  
"He stole those riches from my father," Patricia explained. Elizabeth looked at her in surprise.  
  
"The Taylors were that merchant family?"  
  
Patricia nodded. "But we got everything back. So Miss Swann, I wasn't always a poor blacksmith. I've had the means to educate myself and buy anything I wanted to and it was mostly books, which in turn, has made me quite knowledgeable about many things."  
  
"And when your father died, lost everything again." Elizabeth didn't say it as question. She pretty much deduced that from the facts she's heard from around town but surprisingly Patricia laughed.  
  
"Nope... wrong. I'm filthy rich."  
  
"Filthy, yes. Rich, I wouldn't believe so," Elizabeth sneered and then shut her mouth at the appraising look Patricia gave her.  
  
"Like I said: Scathing. But anyways, I am. Why wouldn't you think so?"  
  
"James knows everything about Port Royal. He doesn't think very highly of you or Will because you're p..."  
  
"Poor?"  
  
"Yes," Elizabeth blushed but began to defend him almost instantly. "It's his fault. That's all. Everyone has their own and James' is his prejudice..."  
  
"I know his fault a little too well, Elizabeth." Elizabeth stayed silent, a bit embarassed at the memory of her husband's patronizing tone at the party. "But that's beside the point. So you think that I'm without any financial stability because I live in a blacksmith shop, have the rattiest clothing and the Commodore doesn't think I am." Elizabeth nodded. "Okay, here's the truth: My father wasn't stupid. He had a will. He left everything to me but I decided not to flaunt it like Norrington does with his rank."  
  
"So where's all the money?"  
  
"In the bank... Every single pound and pence," she answered simply. "I have the bank slip with me everywhere I go."  
  
"And how rich are you?"  
  
At first, Patricia just looked Elizabeth with relucatance then answered, "We'll just say that Will and I are most likely richer than you and the Commodore. Norrington is just too blinded by our job names to know the difference." Silence fell on the two. Patricia's headache was still making her head throb yet she held Elizabeth's eyes.  
  
"Are you ever going to talk to Will?"  
  
"I will... when I'm not dizzy just at the sight of any motion," she smirked then it fell. For once, she looked at Elizabeth, her own human weakness showing. "You're REALLY not after Will?"  
  
"Patricia, I'm married. I might feel attracted to him but I'm not blind, nor am I ignorant to his charm," Elizabeth joked. "Very understandable that you fell for him." Patricia smiled.  
  
Even if it were just for this moment, Patricia and Elizabeth looked at each other with understanding and a truce was called.  
  
AN// I'm facing Writer's Block. FULL ON Writer's MONOLITH!!.... BAD BAD BAD.... Review Please! 


	14. Chapter 14

AN// Hi again! Oooo... I'm in trouble. I need to type this out and soon! But it's so hard! Stupid writer's monolith!!  
  
AN2// I'm reloading this.. obviously... nothing really changed. I just forgot to beta read and I only realized this when I already uploaded the story on the net. *Sheepish Grin*  
  
Chapter 14//  
  
"So what do ya think?" Gibbs asked AnaMaria as they both sat down in the dining hall of the Rouge.  
  
"About what?" Her hand reached out to take fruit from the center piece only to find it only a wax replica. "Stupid..." She threw the fruit at the wall, and saw it slide down the wooden planks.  
  
"Jack's treasure. The Maiden Blue! It'll make us rich beyond our dreams!" Gibbs said lowly.  
  
"Rich, yes. But how do we know that this isn't another chest of Cortez, ready to make us the undead just like Barbossa?" AnaMaria snapped. "I've lived far too long on my instincts to not trust them now." She was going to continue but Jack entered his head into the chamber.  
  
"Are you smashing things on my walls again? Because of ye are, then get off my ship right now. I don't need holes of my pretty new boat," Jack said.  
  
"Give me some actual food and maybe I won't make holes with the imitations," AnaMaria replied. "And last I thought this was a French boat. I thought you were banned from French waters, Jack. Something about putting the coastal pubs out of business?"  
  
"But French wine is so good!" Jack exclaimed swaggering in and plopping down into a chair. His boots were lifted and put on the table while he stared at his two other... "colleagues".  
  
"That's what you also said about the women," AnaMaria retorted scathingly.  
  
"Jealous, love?" Jack asked, cheekily. AnaMaria scoffed and turned away to Gibbs.  
  
"Anyways, before I was interrupted, I'm not convinced about the Maiden Blue..."  
  
"Oh, COME ON!" Jack whined. "This is it! Every scallywag(sp?) in Tortuga knows that the only booty that has enough gold to rival Cortez's is the Maiden Blue's! That ship was meant to give means to the WHOLE of the Colonies! Imagine the amount of gold that is!"  
  
"I agree with Jack." Gibbs leaned back on his chair, his trademark bottle, in his hand. "This could be it."  
  
"Doesn't the journal tell you anything?! Abegnale died from something he couldn't even explain!"  
  
"The bastard probably bled to death cause he couldn't dress his wounds properly. And same with the old man that died too," Jack reasoned.  
  
"You don't know that! There could be a curse on that gold that'll finish us all." Gibbs looked at AnaMaria a glint in his eye as did Jack.  
  
"So a little curse scares ye, AnaMaria?" Gibbs taunted. "Never thought ye to be one so easy to break."  
  
"I'm not scared of a curse," AnaMaria hissed.  
  
"Well, it does seem like it, doesn't it Gibbs?" Jack grinned leaning towards the man. A low chuckle escaped his lips as they both looked at AnaMaria, who seemed to be fighting with herself. "Seems like the men will have to do this ourselves. A woman on board would have been a bother anyways."  
  
"I would NOT have been a bother on board. If anything, I'm the only one that can get all your asses out onto deck every morning!" she yelled indignantly.  
  
"But your instincts," Jack snickered. "They don't tell you that this little adventure would be any fun so I guess you'll just have to sit at home with the rest of the women." If anything could get AnaMaria's blood boiling, it was being told that she had to sit around at home while the men of her family sailed about the Caribbean becoming rich in gold and adventure. It was what drove her from home then and it will not keep her on land now.  
  
"Fine! I'll do this bloody mission of yours. And I'll be the first to whatever gold is there. Mark my words." With that, AnaMaria stood up in a huff and stomped out of the room. As she made her way onto deck to relieve her indignance, she saw Elizabeth exit Patricia's cabin.  
  
"AnaMaria!" Elizabeth greeted smiling as she shut the door and started to walk with her up the stairs to the deck.  
  
"I take it Patricia's better?" AnaMaria replied.  
  
"Much..." AnaMaria hesitated to ask her next question.  
  
"Will she be coming up anytime soon?"  
  
"Sure.. A quick nap and she'll be up and about as usual."  
  
"I meant to talk to Will," AnaMaria clarified. The smile on Elizabeth's face faltered at the smallest scale as they reached open air with Will too far to be within earshot of their conversation.  
  
"The one, I believe, will take more than a quick nap to remedy," Elizabeth answered. "She's doing her best to put up this front that she's strong and able to handle anything but just one look, eye to eye, and you can see she's terrified. But I don't even know why."  
  
"She's afraid that Will will turn her down completely for you." AnaMaria remembered Patricia's words from last night.  
  
"But we just talked about it right now! She knows I have nothing but human attraction to Will but it's nothing I'll act upon." Elizabeth looked at Will across the boat. He was sitting just off the railing on the stern, his arms hanging onto the ropes above him and his feet dangling some twenty feet above the water below him. "She STILL looked terrified when I left."  
  
"It's not YOUR actions that scare her. It's his," AnaMaria explained pointing to Will.  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
Will dangled on his perch at the stern of the ship, ignoring the chaotic noises around him. His enlightening talk to Jack the night before kept him awake... Not that the current situation would have let him have his sleep either way. He could hear Patricia twisting and turning on her bed all night. He tried to open his door several times in the dark but it was obviously locked by Jack, someway somehow.  
  
Patricia's words kept echoing in his head and her kiss was burned on his lips... He touched where he remembered she touched him last night and for a moment, a smile grew on his face. 'Burned in a good way,' he thought but his happiness fell faster than it rose and he remembered her stumbling on to the ship, drunk! His head hit the rail behind him.  
  
In love... In love!! In love with HIM!! The idea was so unbelievable that he would have had a good laugh if someone had announced it to him other than his own Tricia. The thought still bothered him. Even more what would he do next? Will most definitely wanted her to stay with him. She was his constant and if ever a moment came that she wasn't there any more, to come to his every beck and call, he knew his life would be thrown completely off balance. Not that she was some sort of slave that WOULD come to his every beck and call but that fact that she was willing to do so and was there for him through the heights and holes of his life made her almost a body part for him. If she were gone, it would have been like sitting down to write a note only to come to find that his hand was completely missing.  
  
Will sighed. Yes, he loved her. He loved her so much that he would die for her. He remembered his talk to Elizabeth the day before as well. She made him see that he was very capable of falling in love with Tricia as well. The question was... WAS he in love with her already?  
  
He couldn't remember ever having some sort of awkward situation that he had with Elizabeth. He just remembered.... nothing... It was Patricia! Yes, he's had some inappropriate dreams about her but he's brushed that away as his male tendency to dream about the girl in the next room. He'd die for her but she was his best friend! Who wouldn't die for their dearest loved one?! He'd hold her at night without any other thoughts of the world except that he was comfortable but... that was just how they were...  
  
Just then he turned to the voices he could hear behind him and saw their gesture towards him. In a second, he knew they were talking about Patricia and him. Almost monkey-like he swung himself onto the deck and ran to them, skidding to a stop before crashing down the stairs.  
  
"How is she?"  
  
"Could be better," Elizabeth said solemnly.  
  
"How much did she drink?!" Will exclaimed, facing AnaMaria now.  
  
"Enough to put a lot of people into casualty," AnaMaria answered.  
  
"Hell," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Can't I talk to her?"  
  
"I don't know. Can you?" AnaMaria grinned.  
  
"Ergh! Don't be a smart ass! MAY I go down now and talk to my best friend?"  
  
"No you may not, Mr. Turner." AnaMaria then turned away with Elizabeth.  
  
"Like that'll stop me..." Will muttered. 'Just an hour or so... then I'll go down without that nosy wench shooting arrows at my back.'  
  
AN// I do NOT think AnaMaria as a nosy wench (obviously I'm paranoid Because of Jehan's Muse) Will just says his last comment because he's frustrated that he's on a restraining order and AnaMaria is sort of the warden. 


	15. Chapter 15

AN// Hey! How are all of you lovely people? Haha. *dodges flying grenade and zips on bulletproof vest* I'm updating! I'm updating! *ducks away from tomatoes* Excuse this time? Writer's Block... *bleh* sorry!!  
  
Chapter 15//  
  
Patricia laid herself on the bed, her head still feeling as if her brain had shrunk two sizes and was now rattling inside her skull. Light was pouring into the wooden cabin and bright late morning light was making the brown panels of her walls and bed frame glow. Her eyes squinted as she made her way deeper into the covers.  
  
The Rouge was rocking slowly as the waves bobbed up and down. Seagulls squawked in the skies above. Outside, the little coastal town was abuzz. Patricia's ears strained to hear the little conversations occurring just a few feet on the other side of her wall.  
  
"... It ain't a schilling if I only got a canoe!"  
  
"...Fish don't catch themselves, savvy..."  
  
"... All the treasures of the Maiden Blue..."  
  
"... Aye, that Kate be a wild cat in..."  
  
.... Wait ..... What was that of the Maiden Blue?  
  
Patricia wanted to know what else was going to be said about the ship and its contents but the gentle swaying of the boat on the water, the remnants of the booze and the constant hum of the outside was lulling her to sleep. She tried to look out the window and saw men going back and forth on the port. It was the last she saw and heard of Tortuga before she fell asleep.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Where's Jack?" AnaMaria asked hours later. Her head was jutting from the deck below. "I can't find him again."  
  
"Last I saw of him, he left the ship for land with Gibbs," Elizabeth answered, looking up from some journals left by Toulouse in the ship. Elizabeth decided that she would take a look at them and found them almost interesting in parts.  
  
"And Will?"  
  
Elizabeth pointed towards the end of the boat where Will had taken his permanent spot above the water. "Hasn't moved."  
  
"At least, he's stopped his attempts to go below," AnaMaria sighed in relief.  
  
"How's Patricia, anyways?"  
  
"As asleep as a corpse, in my opinion." AnaMaria stepped out and shaded her eyes from the water's glare as she took a look at Tortuga. The brown dust from the streets were being kicked into a sandstorm and it was difficult to make out any faces but after a few minutes, she recognized Sparrow's tell- tale hat and holler from the rest. The hat was heading back along the pier along with its owner and strangely enough, Gibbs and a dozen men.  
  
"What's going on?" Elizabeth asked, following AnaMaria's eye. She could tell that the female pirate's expression was hiding a deep frown and just conveyed the reluctance she felt.  
  
"We're off a-pirating. We're going after the Maiden Blue's treasure," AnaMaria replied simply before walking off to meet Jack.  
  
"AnaMaria, my love," Jack greeted her, throwing his arm around her shoulders but one glare from AnaMaria told him to back away.... slowly. "All right then..." He gestured towards the men lined up on the pier. "Meet our new and able-bodied crew."  
  
"Able-bodied?" AnaMaria cringed as she saw one man who had two fingers cut off and another with a peg leg. "And new?" Half of the men must have been in their fifties.  
  
"Well and new and able-bodied as we can gather. You'll be hard pressed to find such a crew in such a short amount of time," Jack nodded.  
  
"And in such a way when you're short on money yourself," AnaMaria countered. "How much are they?"  
  
"Only a few quid, Maria..."  
  
"How much, Jack Sparrow?"  
  
"They shall be taking a quarter of the takings and be split amongst themselves."  
  
"A QUARTER? I could get a crew like this and not even have them paid at all!"  
  
"Well, it was the best Gibbs and I could do so, so if you don't mind, I'd like throw in the power of being the CAPTAIN of the ship and announce our leave in half an hour," Jack huffed and strode into the ship, the other men following and AnaMaria just standing there in disbelief.  
  
"What's going on?" Will asked confused as the men filed in, crates of food following them.  
  
"We're taking the Maiden's booty," Elizabeth answered before shaking her head and walking below deck.  
  
"What?" Will stalked over to where Jack was talking to another recruit.  
  
"... see here, Mack. It isn't even a day's trip to the spot..." Jack was saying but was interrupted when Will pushed him aside.  
  
"What are you doing?" he demanded.  
  
"Taking ourselves on a little adventure, lad," Jack grinned.  
  
"OURselves?! Patricia is in no condition to be taking on one of your god damned expeditions around the Caribbean. Not to mention, she has definitely announced her refusal to go after tainted gold!"  
  
"Well, unlike you, Mr. Turner. My decisions aren't based on a woman who has me wrapped around her little finger."  
  
Will's lips twisted into a mischievous smile. "That's not what you said about AnaMaria last night." It seemed that AnaMaria was passing by so she looked up at the two men at her name.  
  
"What about AnaMaria last night?" she asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.  
  
"Jack said that he seems to have a weak spot.... mmph mmmfoo," Will mumbled as Jack's hand came down and smacked Will at the mouth and kept it there.  
  
"What?" AnaMaria asked confused.  
  
"Nothing... not a thing, love. Go on about your business," Jack said and... was he blushing?!? AnaMaria just gave them a strange look and walked away.  
  
"All right.. whatever you say..." Once out of earshot, Jack took away his mouth and Will started gagging.  
  
"Aww... man, that was nasty," Will said digustedly wiping away his mouth. "Ever heard of hygiene?"  
  
"I once heard that cleanliness was right up there with godliness so it hasn't been high on my priorities," Jack grinned but his smile faltered when Will continued his simulated vomiting. "Oh come one, it isn't that bad!" He looked at his grimy fingers and grimaced. "Okay, maybe it is..."  
  
"YES! It is!"  
  
"Fine! Be your pansy way... You know you really should take leaf out of your father's book and be a man. In fact, if you would just be a little less like a rigid statue he might even be proud of you!" Jack snapped walking away. AnaMaria heard the last shout and saw the shocked look on Will's face. Before Jack could get farther past her, she gripped his arm and made him face her.  
  
"That was a low blow, Jack. Low even for you," AnaMaria reprimanded.  
  
"Bastard needs to untwist his damn knickers," Jack growled.  
  
"Even then... Bootstrap would have been ecstatic at the man Will grew up to be. He would probably been happier if you hadn't given him Bill's history..." AnaMaria argued. "You really should apologize."  
  
"Apologize, my arse. Like I'd ever really apologize," Jack sneered, walking away again. "All hands on deck! We take sail now!" His hands gripped a hatchet and swung it down on the ropes tethering the ship to port.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Patricia turned her head as dusk set in. Her head felt light now, instead of heavy and she could smile without the least bit of pain. The light of dusk was setting in. Shadows were dancing in effect with the sunset and the water. She snuggled further into the comfort and warmth of her bed, taking in the sounds as the Rouge rocked up and down on the calm ocean. Seagulls squawked in the skies above. Outside, the little coastal town was... not there?  
  
Patricia's head shot up when she saw out the window and all she saw was blue waters going on at every direction. Tortuga was far gone and had already disappeared from her line of sight. Her ears pricked up at the sudden flutter of footsteps above her but there seemed to be too many. Thumps resounded right above her and she turned just in time to see a man drop in from the deck above to the side of the ship, his head just level with her window.  
  
"Oh, hello, love," the man grinned, showing his rotting teeth. Patricia screamed and stepped away from the window. She grabbed a dark cloak hanging on one of the chairs and wrapped it around herself. "Aww... don't run away, rabbit!" Patricia stumbled out of her room and ran up the stairs to throw open the door to not only see Will, Elizabeth, AnaMaria, Jack and Gibbs working away at the ship... (Well, everyone but Jack, who seemed satisfied just standing, pompously at the deck presenting itself to him at the wheel) But a full crew as well.  
  
"What in the bloody hell is this?!"  
  
AN// Read and Review Please! The more reviews the more I tend to like to update!! 


	16. More Than That

AN// Oh, come on people! That was NOT a bad cliffy. It wasn't like someone's gonna die.... I should work on my foreshadow... I SUCK at subtlety. *grin* And ummm...  
  
WARNING!!!! There's a reason this story is rated R and with the upcoming events and the chapters to follow, the violence and sexual situations will justify that rating. This one has some of the latter but BARELY... I wouldn't even consider it a sexual situation... Just a little heated. *grin* But I want to warn just in case...  
  
And it's been a good few chapters so I shall repeat the disclaimer: I Do not own Pirates of the Caribbean(wish I did) I do not own the characters Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann or Jack Sparrow..*hears incoherent shouting* *cough* sorry... CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow and for a brief moment in time, Norrington. I DO own Patricia Taylor and Toulouse and Abegnale and his bunch though I make ZERO money from this. Don't sue... you won't get a dime from the girl who hasn't a penny. Now read on.  
  
Chapter 16: More Than That (-- This chapter just had a perfect name waiting for it...*grin*  
  
"Patricia, love." Jack grinned his toothy smile at her as he leaped down from his upper deck. He put an arm around her shoulders as she looked around half-confused and half-angry. "You're awake and ready to be introduced to your new shipmates!"  
  
"New... shipmates?" she choked. She clutched the top of her cloak tighter when she saw that all of them were throwing her appraising glances. "Why do we need shipmates?"  
  
"Ummm... I figured it would take less time bringing up the Maiden's booty if we hand more hands to work with," he answered nonchalantly. Patricia whirled at him, her eyes ablaze again.  
  
"I thought I made it clear that we weren't to go after it!" she exclaimed.  
  
"And I thought I made it clear that I wouldn't follow through with your request," Jack smiled putting a hand to cup her chin. "Frankly, love, you're adorable when angry like this." She slapped his hand away and just glared at him.  
  
"Don't touch me," Patricia snapped. "Where's AnaMaria?"  
  
"Right here," the woman answered coming up to the two. "See, Jack? I knew she wouldn't be up to this."  
  
"Up to this? You make it sound like a damn game! It's not!" Patricia tried to reason with them but she knew it was too late. She sighed in semi- defeat. "When did we leave Tortuga?"  
  
"About noon," AnaMaria answered. "Look, Patricia... It's not as if we won't be careful..."  
  
"Have you read the journal?" she interrupted and AnaMaria nodded.  
  
"Those natives are probably long gone by now, Tricia... Don't worry..." AnaMaria reassured her. Elizabeth then came up to the two as Jack walked away, smiling in triumph, finally getting his way.  
  
"And it's not as if you have a choice anymore. You're in the middle of the ocean, for god's sake. You can't runaway anymore," Elizabeth added, placing a double meaning to her words and the subliminal message wasn't lost on her.  
  
"Yes... I pretty much figured that, Elizabeth," Patricia answered softly, looking down at her feet. Her anger towards Jack receded and her nervousness towards Will returned. AnaMaria quickly caught on to the line of conversation and she looked up at Will who was looking at them, unsure whether he would be welcomed into the group of women. His eyes caught AnaMaria's and he understood that he was finally allowed to talk to her. He came to her so stealthily that Patricia didn't even realize his presence until he spoke and put a hand on her back.  
  
"Come on inside, Tricia," Will murmured and swallowed a lump in his throat when he saw pure fear in Patricia's dark eyes. "We need to get you into proper clothes." He hid her body with his as he noticed the look in the other pirates' eyes that Patricia noticed before. All of them seemed to wonder whether the innocent looking girl had anything on underneath the thick cloak she was clutching around her body.  
  
"I... I'm fine," she stammered, tearing her eyes away, trying to find some escape but Elizabeth's words finally made themselves clear as glass. She couldn't run away anymore.  
  
"No, you're not," he answered softly. His knuckle brushed against her shivering cheek. "You're freezing. Now come with me..." She looked back up at him and saw his pleading eyes. All she could do was nod and let him lead her down to his cabin.  
  
"Do you think they'll finally fix themselves and Will won't say anything stupid anymore?" AnaMaria asked.  
  
"Will won't do anything stupid anymore... hopefully," Elizabeth replied as both watched the young couple disappear below deck. "It's all up to Patricia's willingness to let Will in at this point."  
  


* * *

  
Patricia sat down on the bed, her teeth beginning to chatter at the wind blowing in from the open window. Will took the task upon himself to close the window and grab another blanket. He sat down next to her and opened a crate next to the bed. Inside the box was an abundance of clothing and necessities for a woman that Jack had managed to buy (or steal, Will wasn't sure) for Elizabeth and Patricia. Will grabbed a brush and motioned Patricia to him. He opened the blanket, wrapped it around her and began to comb out the jungle-like tangles in her black hair.  
  
The tension between the two was thick enough to get lost in. Patricia's heart beat was racing... not only from nervousness... but HE WAS SO CLOSE... His fingers kept brushing against the nape of her neck...His palms would smooth down her hair and she would feel the heat of his skin on her back... His breath was tickling her ear... Oooo... tickle.. As tense as the situation was a low giggle emerged from her lips as he exhaled and Will didn't miss it.  
  
"What?" he asked confused. Last he thought, laughing at the situation was the stupidest thing to do but it was nice to see her smile again even when she tried to cover laughter with her hand. "What is it?" he asked smiling himself.  
  
"Your breath is getting into my ear," she giggled softly. Will smiled wider as he realized what she meant.  
  
"So?"  
  
"What do you mean so? It tickles! That's so!" she laughed.  
  
"Tickles?" he asked, playing stupid for a second. "Tickles like this?" Then his hands let go of the comb and started to slide around her waist his fingers extracting her laughter from her. Her legs kicked at the walls trying to get the much stronger man off her.  
  
Upstairs, Jack started to roll in laughter. "Well, that didn't take long now did it?" {Author's Friend's Note// For a seemingly innocent kid, Isha ( the author has a really dirty mind... AN// -_- I'm NOT a little kid!}  
  
Somehow, in their playing, Will managed to secure her wrists together with one hand and hold them against her chest. She was beneath him on the bed and she was grinning up at him. "Is this your way of telling me that you don't want to talk about what's happening between us?" Patricia's smile faded away and she rolled out from underneath him.  
  
"Uhh..." She put a hand through her hair nervously as she stood away from the bed and sat on a chair on the otherside of room. "No... no... talk is good... I think." Her mind swept off to a dream she had during her nap. She had dreamt about never telling Will anything and how he would still smile at her without thinking it would be taken as more than a friendly gesture. "I wanted to apologize..."  
  
"Apologize for what?" Will took up another chair and sat down in front of Patricia, who was looking at her hands. One, he noticed, was still bandaged. He took both hands in his and tried to get her to look him in the eye but she just kept staring at their hands now.  
  
"Apologize for how I acted last night and for my stupid outburst," she murmured.  
  
"Alright, for how you acted last night... I STILL have half my mind on telling you off for that..." he trailed off as Patricia looked up at him, her eyes pleading for forgiveness. "How do you do that?" he muttered, shutting his eyes to block away her look. He peeked them open again only to see her lips, quirk into an amused smile. His memory took him to the kiss that they shared the day before and he let her hands go to rub the image away from his retinas and to wipe away the tingling feeling that began to make themselves known on his lips. Her expression turned confused as she saw him wipe at his mouth. He looked down at her again, his eyes clouded. ".... Just one more time," he muttered.  
  
"What?" she asked bewildered. Her voice snapped Will out of his daze and he shook his head. "You said something... What?"  
  
"Nothing important, love." Will's hands reached out for Patricia's hands again. "For your actions last night, I still say you're now under my watch. You don't go anywhere without me anymore, understand?" She nodded. "But for your outburst... Why are you apologizing for what you said? And it wasn't stupid..." Now it was Patricia who retreated.  
  
"It... It wasn't true," she said softly. Even though she had mentally prepared herself for those words, it still almost made her cringe with how bitter the lie tasted on her lips. Will just looked at her. He never thought that Patricia could ever hurt him but at that moment, he felt like he got stabbed in the chest and Patricia was holding the knife. She was looking him in the eye and didn't flinch at his shocked face. "You... you just kept... I hated how you kept on trying to be so damn protective." Another lie... I happen to LOVE your overwhelming yet unexplained urge to protect me. "And all this with Jack that was making my mind whirl..." Semi- lie... Making my head whirl, yes, but in a good way. "And you kept giving me this bollocks story about how you love me more than Miss Swann which is such a blatant fairy tale..."  
  
"STOP!" Will exclaimed. His mind whirled in itself. It was a lie?! No... He remembered the kiss. And why would she run and get drunk? No... it was NOW that she was lying. He could finally read her clearly. She shook her head at his reaction and narrowing eyes. She stood up to leave, not sure how much longer she could keep up her composure for the sake of the lie, but Will took her by the shoulders and pinned her against the wall.  
  
"Will!" she gasped, not liking the angry look in his eyes.  
  
"You're not leaving this by walking away again. I made the mistake of letting you run the last time. I'm not making that mistake once more," he said, his voice low. Patricia looked down again and Will's hand let one shoulder go to put the palm on her cheek. "Have you ever lied to me before all this? Before you met Jack? Before the party that night? Before we ever stepped foot on this ship?"  
  
"No," Patricia answered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Never... I couldn't" His hand felt her warm tears and he cupped her chin to bring her face up to him. He leaned down to rest his forehead against hers.  
  
"Please... PLEASE, Tricia-love, don't lie to me now," he pleaded.  
  
"It was worth a try..."  
  
"Stop talking," he ordered before leaning down and kissing her again. The kiss remained innocent in its moments alive and Will smiled, inwardly, as she kissed back. Both hands released her shoulders to cup her face and wipe away the tears. He angled his head away again so that the kiss was broken but their foreheads remained connected. "Stop crying, love."  
  
"If that kiss was some sort of apologetic symbol that it would be the last one we'll ever share and you're about to tell me you only love me as a little sister, then please don't make me listen to that... I don't want to hear it. Just simply step away and I'd understand but don't make me hear those words come out of your mouth..." she whimpered. Will stared at her in wonder.  
  
"I kiss you and you're still worried about that?" he laughed. "Obviously, I didn't get my message to you quite clear enough because I REALLY don't have any more romantic feelings towards Elizabeth anymore, or any other girl besides you for that matter. It's that or my stupidity is rubbing off on you... Let's try again, shall we?" Before Patricia could voice her lack of understanding, Will kissed her again, this time the tip of his tongue prodded against the closed slit of her mouth. She was too surprised by this new kiss that she couldn't move until Will took her lower lip between his teeth and gently tugged at it. "Open up, love..." he mumbled.  
  
Patricia smiled and followed orders, her hands going up against his back, feeling the muscles coordinate for his own arms to move. Will's hands were busy against her cheeks and smoothed its way to her hair where they fisted the strands to pull her closer.  
  
Only at that moment did Will realize how badly he'd been wanting to kiss his best friend again. No, not best friend... she was more than that to him now. But... yes, he'd been wanting to this for the last 24 hours. No, not 24 hours... He's had this urge to kiss her for more than that... Years and years before he finally felt her lips consciously on his, did he have the urge to kiss her...No, not just kiss her... He wanted to do more than that...  
  
Will's lips started to unconsciously make their way across her cheek and down the side of her neck, kissing every speck of skin, tasting the salty remnants of the sea air. His hands went down around her waist and pulled their hips closer together just to let her know what that moment was doing to him. At the feel of his arousal on her hip, Patricia moaned and only urged Will to continue his work, her hands now pulling at his brown hair.  
  
".... We're here! We're here! I know this is a lovely moment for the two of you but we're here!!" Jack exclaimed, literally bouncing into the room. The captain was holding out his hand so that his view of the bed would be blocked and had his head twisted to the see the table by the opposite wall... It just so happened that Will and Patricia were NOT at the bed but next to the table by the opposite wall. Jack's hand dropped as did his jaw but not because of their compromising position but something else entirely...  
  
Will and Patricia had stopped their kissing when he entered but their arms were still entangled with one another. Patricia was hiding her mirth in Will's shoulder, misinterpreting Jack's expression. Will couldn't give a rat's ass what Jack looked like and his own aggravation in the curve of the neck he was recently tasting.  
  
"Jack, get out!" Will cried, annoyed. He put his head up to look glare at the captain only to have to be hit upside his head by Jack. "What in bloody hell was that for?!?"  
  
"I heard someone banging against my ship and I thought you already bedded the girl!" Jack said agitated himself. "I come in and I see you're only necking her!?! For god's sake, mate, move a little faster!"  
  
"Well, we wouldn't still be in this bloody position if your nosy arse hadn't barged in on us!" Will snapped back. Patricia, feeling Will's rising irritation turn into anger, planted a small kiss on his neck and shushed in his ear. It had the effect she wanted and Will's tense body relaxed against hers.  
  
"Well, my apologies to you, Miss Taylor," Captain Sparrow said in a dignified air. His gaze grew pointed at Will. "You, Mr. Turner, can just bite my ass." He backed away a bit and regained his happy manner. "Anyways, the reason for my intrusion is that we've arrived at where Miss Taylor found our little treasure. I want all bodies on deck for a little speech and instruction from my part, understood?"  
  
Patricia, still feeling that Will was in no condition to talk without insulting Jack, spoke for the both of them. "Aye, captain."  
  
Jack Sparrow headed out and before he could shut the door properly, Patricia and Will caught snatches of his conversation with Gibbs and AnaMaria.  
  
"They were just necking!" Jack cried out in disbelief.  
  
"Then what was all that banging?" Gibbs asked from across the hall.  
  
"How the hell am I suppose to know!?"  
  
"Maybe he's really good at necking," AnaMaria added thoughtfully.  
  
"Like bloody hell he's good..." The door slammed shut and Patricia laughed against Will, who was still frustrated at the imposition.  
  
"We're continuing this later," Will growled before giving Patricia a searing kiss. Patricia nodded and laughed at the desperate look in his eyes. "We'd BETTER continue this later..." His hand taking a hold of hers, he led her out of the room. As they traveled down the hall and up the stairs, Patricia stopped.  
  
"Will?" Patricia called. He halted just a few steps above her and below the door to the deck.  
  
"What is it, Tricia?"  
  
"Back down below... you said you had no romantic feelings towards any girl but me..." Will nodded.  
  
"It's the truth, love, if that's what you want to know..."  
  
She shook her head. "No... Not like I didn't want to know if it was true or not but..."  
  
"What? Just say it. I'll answer..."  
  
"I'm still a little confused by what you meant by that..." Will just gave her an amused smile as he leaned down and kissed her softly again.  
  
"In the most simplest of words, it means I love you..." he whispered. Will chuckled as Patricia's eyes widened and he just pulled her up to him and led her out onto the deck, his arm tight around her waist.  
  
AN// I wonder how long it took me to write this... I was on a roll today... I started it and I couldn't stop. So YAY! Applause! Isha updated in less than a week!... I think.. Now be kind and review... Sandra.... I got a bone to pick with you... *angry face* 


	17. Chapter 17

AN// Readers, it is my trademark double version chapter trick again! I like to adhere to rules so I made versions of this chapter. One version is obviously seen here and it's the "clean" version. Those under 18 and easily offended at sexually graphic material, just skip the rest of my AN and go on ahead to the chapter.  
  
All the others, follow me. If you're over 18 or not offended by my wordiness of some situations, *grin*, I have a link to the actual way I wanted this chapter to pan out. Just copy and paste the following link to your browser and you'll end up at my original version. At the end of ThAT web page, there will be a link leading you back here so you can review as you would if you had never left the site!  
  
My last upload was a punk. Umm just go to my profile.. See above? Click BluWine and read my Bio. Under Things Change should be the link! And it should work perfectly!! *grumbles*  
  
Chapter 17:  
  
"What?" Patricia asked breathless once they were in the open deck. She just looked up at him wide eyed. "You what me?" Will chuckled under his breath and put a finger on her lips to silence her. Once getting the desired effect, Will bent down to give her another quick kiss.  
  
"Hush, love. Our captain..." his voice still retaining its annoyance, "...wishes to speak with us." Patricia just kept looking at him and then turned to the front, her smile still too confused to appear.  
  
"Well, lads and ladies," Jack started looking down at them from the railings by the wheel. "Congratulations for reaching the end of your journey to the Maiden Blue's gold and jewels..."  
  
"We were at sea for twelve bloody hours! Shortest journey I've ever been on!" someone shouted from the midst of the people.  
  
"I don't remember asking you, now did I, mate?" Jack asked with a poisonous smile. "Now, before I was interrupted, I was about to speak of one of the most sought after treasures in all the seven seas... The Maiden Blue..." A murmur went through the small crowd like a wave starting from the front to the back. "Everyone thought that the Maiden Blue has disappeared but, with a stroke of luck from my friend Miss Taylor there, I have found it and you, my able-bodied crew, shall recover it and be one of the richest of the world..."  
  
"Well, where is it? I only see some dark waters around us, cap'n," the voice called again.  
  
"That's because you have to look UNDER the water's surface to find it, lad," Jack said annoyed by this interrupter. "And will you please shut up?"  
  
"Why's that, sir?"  
  
"Alright, who's this bloody idiot? I swear I'm going to throw him off the ship after another word," Jack snapped. The crowd parted, leaving a dirty boy probably in his late teens, snickering with his friend of the same age. The moment they realized that they were revealed, they straightened up a deep flush on their faces.  
  
"'Allo cap'n," the taller one stammered.  
  
"Mack! Dylan...." Jack called as he stopped down from his pedestal and approached them. "Thank you for volunteering to go to shore and set up some tents for some of the crew tonight."  
  
"Our... Our pleasure, cap'n..." Mack said his voice cracking again.  
  
"Now take the little gig over there..." Jack pointed to the small boat on the starboard side. "And that little bag over there... Have your firewood, our blankets and other necessities. We'll follow in an hour's time, savvy?" This time he pointed to a large bag of supplies on the floor. Dylan and Mack nodded their head, furiously. "You, lads, need to learn to follow a bit of authority..."  
  
"Pot, kettle, Jack," AnaMaria said a twitch to her lips telling everyone she was teasing him.  
  
"I didn't ask anything of you either, AnaMaria," Jack said through clenched teeth.  
  
"You needn't have. I can tell what you need of me in the blink of an eye," AnaMaria continued.  
  
"Ahhhh! Forget it! I REALLY wanted my speech but I keep getting interrupted AND I forgot how it went anyways! Is it wrong to want a little respect?!" Jack exclaimed, annoyed. "Mack, Dylan... Make sure I have a warm, stable bed tonight or BOTH of you will sleep in the water. Everyone, gather things for a group of ten's trip to shore. Make sure we have enough to stay the night." Jack stomped off, still peeved that his moment was shot through by a couple of mouthy teenagers and an AnaMaria.  
  
The crowd dispersed, slightly amused with had just happened, especially AnaMaria, but now her thoughts were drifting elsewhere. Her eyes caught Elizabeth, who remained stationary among the workers, and she went up to her.  
  
"Not working, Miss Swann?" AnaMaria asked with a smile.  
  
"Must I?" she replied. She pointed to the other side of the boat, a little bit out of the way of everyone else and partially hidden in the shadows. "I'd rather watch the show..."  
  
AnaMaria gave Elizabeth a strange look before turning her head to where the other was pointing. In the shadows, Will was holding on to Patricia's hands and staring down at her with an amused look in his eyes. The other half of the couple was staring at him with uncertainty. They could only guess that Will had finally gotten his act together but Patricia still needed a moment to realize that her hopes weren't in vain after all.  
  
"Oooo! He's going to kiss her!" Elizabeth squealed. As if on cue, Will leaned down to do as Elizabeth had said to shut Patricia's babbling up. "Awww! Aren't they adorable?" AnaMaria could only laugh at the gleam in the younger woman's eyes.  
  
"Sickeningly so... How 'bout you, Miss Swann? Aren't you missing your own husband?" AnaMaria prodded.  
  
"In a way," Elizabeth shrugged. "Not to sound horrible, but I think I needed a bit more time before I become the straitlaced wife of James..."  
  
"James?"  
  
"The commodore..." Elizabeth looked out onto the water where she could see Mack and Dylan begin the fire. "I respect him as my husband... and I know he's looking for me so that does count for something..." Her eyes went to the invisible horizon as if she would see the white sails of her husband's ship but there was nothing but stars, white foam, and faint glimmer of the sun in the cerulean sky. "I just don't think I was made to sit at home... I needed this one last chance to break free..."  
  
"Glad that Will took you then?" AnaMaria grinned.  
  
"In the long run, yes... I am," Elizabeth finally said out loud.  
  
"Happy that you're at least enjoying yourself, Miss Swann but now you must ready for going to shore..." AnaMaria replied, leading her to grab a bag for supplies.  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yes... I think Jack wants the original crew, me and Gibbs included to go to shore after Mack and Dylan... Us plus two more... Prolly De Misse and Aleretto..."  
  
"Why us? Wouldn't Jack want someone to keep with the ship?"  
  
"Nah.. don't worry about the rest of the crew. As long as the gold isn't in their hands, or a map, for that matter, they won't run and leave us here," AnaMaria explained, grabbing a knife and securing it at her belt.  
  
"You sure about that?" Elizabeth looked warily at the men around her.  
  
"They're got nothing to run WITH, Miss Swann." Elizabeth slung a bag over her shoulder, handed to her by the female pirate and shrugged.  
  
"If you say so..."  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Will and Patricia turned to the decks below after grabbing two canvas bags. "Come on... we'll need all the blankets and sheets we can get..." Patricia nodded and led the way, still feeling Will's hand at the small of her back. Once behind closed doors again, Will took her in his arms and kissed her slowly again, his tongue entering hers and not quite wanting to leave but even as Patricia arched his body against his , Will could still feel her uncertainty. Reluctantly, he pulled away though his arms held on to her waist tighter.  
  
"Why'd you stop?" Patricia pouted as her hands pulled at his hair, teasingly.  
  
"I love you..." he murmured, their faces so close that their noses touched. "You believe me, don't you?" Only silence answered him. "Please... PLEASE believe me? Forgive my last eight years' stupidity and blindness and believe me?"  
  
"It's just..." Patricia sighed, not really sure how to say that she believed him but not quite. "It's hard to believe that you do..." Will looked at her solemnly, brushing away dark strands from her face... but a slow cheeky grin started to grow.  
  
"Well, if that's the case..." he beamed, his hands lowering down to just below her butt and then pulling her up off the ground. Her legs wrapped around his hips as she threw her head back and laughed. "... why don't I spend all of tonight making you a believer?" Will laid Patricia down on the bed, his head nesting at her neck.  
  
"All night?" Patricia giggled, her hands feeling its way underneath his shirt.  
  
"All night, love," Will replied. His own fingers were pushing away the cloak she still wore, motivated by the heat of the skin he was getting so close to touching. He pushed down her chemise over her shoulder kissing his way from the outside and across the collar bone and up her neck. His lips felt her lips again and they both opened their mouth, tongues barely getting enough of the taste of the other.  
  
"More..." Patricia moaned, her hips unconsciously trying to break through her skirt and his breeches, where something else was trying tor each her as well. Will's hand snaked down her body gathering the skirt up to the waist. Will looked up to see her Patricia's face flushed and eyes clouded with want. As his finger tips grazed the skin of her now-bare thigh, a series of bumps echoed through the room.  
  
"Come on, down there! Time to go a-shore!!" a shout said through wooden planks. The heated atmosphere dissipated and Patricia turned her head into the pillows, laughing.  
  
"God damn him to bloody hell!" Will yelled into the bed. "We're not going, Patricia..."  
  
"What? But..." Patricia started but she quieted at the angry stare from Will's eyes. She laughed and dropped a kiss on his neck. "Fine... we'll tell him we'll follow tomorrow then?"  
  
"We? No, not we," Will blushed.  
  
"Why not?" A nudge from his hips told Patricia all she needed to know. An evil smile showed itself on her face and her hand slithered down his body. "I'll go to Jack myself then..." As she got up, the hand wandering on Will just narrowly brushed against the source of Will's embarassment. Will's body shuddered at the slight contact and made to reach for her but she just laughed and jumped out of the way of his hand. "No no.. Must go up and tell Jack of our plans to stay here the night..." She walked away and shut the door behind her, still laughing, as Will threw a pillow at her back.  
  
"Tease!" he growled, before falling back into the sheets and burrowing himself in the warmth Patricia made and inhaling the scent that she left behind.  
  
Patricia fixed herself up a bit before going up to where Jack was pacing the deck impatiently.  
  
"There you are! Come on! It's almost full dark!" Jack tried to coerce her into a boat. "Where's your aggravating boyfriend? COME ON!"  
  
"Shhh! Jack, listen to me!" A faint blush went across her cheeks as Patricia explained her and Will's plan. "We want to stay here the night... We can always follow in the morning... But.. uhh.. yes.. Will and I just want to rest on the ship for the evening." Jack, at first, froze midwave towards the gig and then gave a mischievous grin, as if he were part of some naughty secret.  
  
"Oh!" Jack replied his voice low and dangerously playful. "I see how it is! Just tell Turner not to go at it all night... wouldn't want to hurt you unless, of course..." Patricia blushed at the vulgarity of what he was implying. "Ahh! I KNEW you were wild cat in the sack!" His eyes winked suggestively. "God bless the first man to introduce you to the goings-ons of the bedroom. Well, then Miss Taylor.. Have yourself a good evening but make sure you have rest to search those islands in in the early morn."  
  
With that he staggered away, humming a tune and jumping into the boat before being lowered down to the water. He leaned over to AnaMaria, who had her back turned to him, and gave her a wet kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Jack! You disgusting bastard! You keep yourself away from me, you hear?" AnaMaria grimaced wiping away the traces of the kiss.  
  
"Aww.. but Ana, you know you liked it!" he reasoned. "And anyways, love, all of Miss Taylor's talk about staying the night with her lad... Makes me envious and wanting me own company for the night..." His hand ran down her arm and retreated only when AnaMaria turned to glare at him but the evil eye had the opposite of her desired effect on him. Instead of recoiling in fear, Jack leaned back a smug look on his kohl-stained face.  
  
"What?" AnaMaria snapped as Elizabeth looked at her, slyly.  
  
"I wouldn't mind having my own tent for the night. That's all," Elizabeth shrugged, calmly, before bursting into giggles at AnaMaria's face.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
It was still dark when Patricia and Will woke up. Actually, it was only Will, who woke up. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness and he looked down at the girl in his arms. He sighed when he remembered how Patricia was in the same position only two mornings ago.  
  
Will had dreamt about making love to his best friend that night only to find her fully clothed the next morning, though next to him in his bed. He smiled at the memory of their beautiful night together, his dreams literally coming true. Now she was in his arms, but her naked skin pressing into his. Fingers danced from the hand resting on his chest and down the arm, past her shoulder and to the breast pressing into his side. His hands gently caressed the white skin and kissed her forehead before lowering his hand to her belly. His hand came to the the tiniest of bulges and felt a goofy grin grow on his face.  
  
One day that little bump will grow and my child will grow inside it, he thought wistfully. His mind screamed a halt when the word "child" registered to his consciousness.  
  
Good god, I pretty much just said that I was going to have children! CHILDREN!, the logical voice in his head screamed in panic but he felt her belly again in the palm of his hand and the more wistful voice returned.  
  
Yup... children... and Patricia will the mother of said children. If the logical voice had any retort to that, Will would never know because just then Patricia woke up, looking up at Will, and all thoughts except for the ones represented by the wistful voice disappeared. She saw the smile on his face and her forehead creased.  
  
"Penny for your thoughts," Patricia greeted her lips meeting his briefly.  
  
"Nothing important, love," he said, propping his head up on his elbow.  
  
"Seemed pretty deep for not important, judging by that grin," she prodded.  
  
"Just... just thinking about you..." A kiss... "Me..." Another kiss... "And just random thoughts about what'll happen when I get you to myself somewhere in the future and what that equation might equal."  
  
"Equal what exactly?" Her voice was raspy and the sound didn't escape Will.  
  
"I don't know what it equals yet but god, your voice in the morning makes me want you again..." He covered his body with hers, throwing the sheet over them again.  
  
"What thrice in a night isn't enough for you?" she laughed.  
  
"How many times is it ever enough for a man making love to the woman he loves?" he asked. Her laugh came again.  
  
"Good answer but it was a yes or no question," she grinned. Words left their communication and kissing became the preferred way to speak to each other and it spoke volumes. Patricia could feel Will's need for her against her leg and she was more than happy to meet the moment but a short rapping on the door broke the atmosphere.... again.  
  
"Miss Taylor? Mr. Turner?" a voice called. "The last boat will be leaving soon for shore. The captain instructed me the night before to call you for it."  
  
"We're coming," Will answered in a strangled tone. He glared down at Patricia, still aroused and now a bit angry. "There is a conspiracy against us! They never want us to finish anything!"  
  
"You finished three times last night, Will... I think you'll be fine..." She gave him a slow, sensuous kiss and Will took all his strength to pull away.  
  
"You kiss me that way, I won't be fine," he snarled through clenched teeth as Patricia just looked at him mockingly. "Aren't you even a little bit annoyed at the interruptions?!"  
  
"Of course, I am," Patricia shrugged. She slid off the bed clutching one of the sheets to her body to protect her modesty and then walked to the crate of clothing pulling out some underwear and a simple, long-sleeve pale yellow dress (AN// Think Elizabeth stranded on the island with Jack but outer wear version.) "It's just that... the fact that you want me at all was something I thought would never happen. Now that you do, even if we don't finish what we started, I'm already happy." A pink blush coloured her cheeks when she turned back to Will, who was reclining on the bed, back against the wall, legs stretched out in front of him, palming the back of his head. She slipped on the clothing before coming near Will again and sitting beside his body.  
  
"I make you happy with just the fact that I want you?" Will asked. He leaned over to her and she leaned in as well, a finger playing with his long curls. She nodded, looking into his eyes, with sincerity. "Love, in a way, that's almost wicked of you..." he grinned.  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"Because, for all I know, you can just spend every night teasing me, making me want you like last night and making your self happy, and then leave me to my own devices," Will explained. "Not a nice possibility."  
  
"Will! I've waited for you the last eight years! I'm getting my just rewards from you every possible night just for my patience," Patricia reassured him. A kiss was shared between the two before Patricia stood up and walked to the door. "I'll wait upstairs for you."  
  
"You won't wait for me here?" Will pouted. As Patricia stepped behind the door, she just shrugged.  
  
"If I see you in all your glory again, we'll REALLY be late... We just haven't got the time so I'll see you in a bit." She blew a kiss and hurriedly shut the door behind her. As Will just sighed his annoyance, he heard her footsteps hurry up the stairs and the slam of the door when she exited to the outside world. He hurriedly dressed and tied his hair back before going after her.  
  
AN// Okay initial idea was that I continue past this point but it was just TOO LONG! I already spilled onto twelve pages (Verdana size 10) on the uncut version. It's seven when all cleaned up... I just really hope you guys got to read the full version(Read first AN//)... The sex scene was put in here, not for the sake of having a sex scene. but to kind of reinforce Will and Patricia's love. *shrug* I hope you enjoyed either way.  
  
BE A RESPONSIBLE READER! READ AND REVIEW!! 


	18. Chapter 18

AN// Pride and joy? Last chapter... *sniff* But I never get much reviews... me quite sad... It's a good thing I don't write this for reviews... otherwise it never woulda finished. *sniff again* Thanks to those of you who DID write reviews. I love you for it.  
  
In case you wanted to read the uncut version and didn't find the link for the last chapter, I'm really sorry! *pout* FF.N doesn't let you write in URL addresses... stinking thing. The link again is here if you want to read it before chapter 18. Just copy and paste to the address bar and replace "dot" with an actual dot.  
  
Obfanfiction"dot"bravehost"dot"com/bluwine_tc17"dot"html  
  
Chapter 18: "Over here!" Patricia called. Will turned and saw her already in the boat with several other men. He climbed in after her and saw the other on the sand. Across the water, on the shore, Jack and the rest of the crew were dressing down as if for a swim.  
  
"What are they doing?" Will asked his arms pulling Patricia by the waist.  
  
"Swimming?" she shrugged. She leaned back against him, sighing at the sight before her. "The island is really beautiful, isn't it?" Will nuzzled into her neck and Patricia knew what he was about to say before the words even left his mouth.  
  
"Not as beautiful as you, of course." She just rolled her eyes and laughed.  
  
"God, that was such a cheesy line and fairly predictable coming from you," she teased. Will's eyes played an insulted look.  
  
"But I meant every word!" he defended himself.  
  
"You better have!" Her finger poked at the underside of his chin. "It's the only reason I'm tolerating it." Her hands felt at the bristly hairs protruding from his chin and above his upper lip. "Who knew facial hair can be sexy?" The two other men coughed and Patricia giggled. "Sorry..."  
  
"They're just jealous," Will whispered into her ear. Patricia silently laughed until they reached the sand. Once off, Elizabeth ran to meet them.  
  
"Thank god! Another female!" Elizabeth exclaimed but then her eyes saw Will and Patricia's entwined fingers. "Nevermind!"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Patricia asked confused. "Where's AnaMaria?"  
  
"With Jack..." Elizabeth answered bitterly. "It's really not fair... He had her all to himself last night. I want a bit of female company but both my options are stuck to some man!.... I miss James."  
  
"... all last night?!" Will repeated a bit surprised. His eyes met Patricia's and both began to laugh. "We weren't along in our activities, then, love," he said quietly into her ear. Patricia shook her head, still laughing, but felt sorry for Elizabeth, who really was feeling left out.  
  
"Elizabeth, why don't you and I have a little walk around the insides of the island then? I'll leave Will to look for more underwater treasure." Her hand left Will and he immediately pouted.  
  
"But it might be dangerous!"  
  
"We'll be fine. I promise to stay within reasonable distance..." She trailed off, taking a step back, her hand holding her forehead.  
  
"Love?" Will jumped in, full of concern. "Love, what's wrong?" Patricia shook her head, looking down. The weak dizziness she felt disappeared and she looked up at Will, smiling.  
  
"I'm fine..."  
  
"What was that?" Elizabeth asked, worried as well.  
  
"Nothing... Nothing at all. It was just a dizzy spell... I've been having some the last few days... All this time on a boat, probably," she shrugged.  
  
"Are you sure?" Will was still skeptical to her reasons. He saw how her eyes rolled in lightheadedness. "Maybe you should rest..."  
  
"Will, I'll be fine." She tiptoed and kissed him on the lips, briefly. "Thank you for your worry but it's unneeded. I just need my land legs back." Will forced a smile, but it looked strangled. "Will! Just go! Don't worry! Elizabeth is with me... now go get me some gold!" She pushed Will towards the other men and he walked away reluctantly.  
  
"It's like you have him on a leash," Elizabeth giggled.  
  
"Quite a short one too," Patricia laughed. She looked at Elizabeth and noticed that all the smudges her skin was gone. "Elizabeth! You're clean!"  
  
"What? Oh, yes... There's a little spring through that opening." Elizabeth pointed at a sandy trail leading into the inner island. "It's fresh water and isn't too cold."  
  
"Do you mind if you wait a few minutes? I want to take a quick bath... I feel disgusting," Patricia grimaced.  
  
"No problem," Elizabeth smiled, understandingly. "No one's there anymore. Just follow the trail and you'll get there. I'll wait here till you get back." Patricia nodded and started to walk away but Elizabeth called to her before she reached the trail. "Oh and Patricia!"  
  
"Yes?" she yelled back.  
  
"Mack and Dylan! They wandered off early this morning. If you find them, get them back please?" Elizabeth requested.  
  
"All right!"  
  
Patricia waved her understanding and walked into the thin jungle. The sand below her feet was well worn. Footsteps ran through it back and forth and she wondered if the crew did all that this morning. The deeper she walked in, the thicker the jungle got and it seemed so peaceful to her. It didn't take long to get to the rocky spring Elizabeth was talking about. She stripped naked, quickly and slowly dipped her body into the fresh water, sighing in relief at the cleansing she was feeling...  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Twenty minutes had passed after leaving Patricia and Will was stepping out of the water. His breeches were soaked through and his chest bared. He had thrown off his vest and tunic before diving into the ocean to look for the rest of the cache and in the space of minutes, his olive skin was tanned. (AN// *drools at imagination*) Elizabeth was standing at the water's edge, eyeing him like any woman would.  
  
"Patricia is a lucky woman," Elizabeth grinned audaciously.  
  
"And I am a lucky man," Will replied reverently, emphasizing the second word.  
  
"And Patricia KNOWS she's a lucky woman as well..." She touched the swollen red lines going down Will's back. Will blushed and smiled, embarassed.  
  
"So that's why it stings..." He, then, realized that Elizabeth was standing alone. "Where's Patricia?"  
  
"Oh.. she took a quick bath at a little spring nearby..." Elizabeth answered. Will turned around to the trees and wished he could see her as he wrung his hands in paranoia.  
  
"She's there by herself?" Will asked worriedly.  
  
"Don't worry..." But she never got to finish what was meant to be a reassuring sentence. Will's head shot up as he heard a high-pitched scream coming from the trees.  
  
"That was Patricia..." he murmured, his blood running cold, before turning and running into the jungle.  
  
AN// I haven't made any good cliffhangers the past how long! I needed one so I cut this chapter short on that little moment. *evil giggle* I wonder how long I should make you wait.... *looks at watch* tick tock tick tock. Hahah... Don't worry... not long! 


	19. Chapter 19

AN// Hopefully I didn't make you guys wait too long! Like my cliffhanger?... or my attempt to a good cliffhanger? *laughs* Well here go... It starts from where Patricia was bathing to where I left off.  
  
Elkengrove, I don't how you did it (actually I think you didn't. It was an ff.net screw up.) but your review keeps getting resent to me. I think it's been sent to me about fifty times now.. literally.. *laughs* It may be some freaky way of reminding me to update. *laughs*  
  
Chapter 19:  
  
Patricia sighed again, reclining on the slippery rocks of the spring. Her clothes were some paces behind her and she was naked in the clear running water. Her hand felt for a smooth rock and gently scrubbed it on her skin to exfoliate the dirt. She cringed at all the dead skin she was rubbing away and submerged herself in the water.  
  
As Patricia lay down, head still below the surface, she opened her eyes. The water made her sight waver and blurry, but as her sight adjusted, she noticed a dark figure standing near the water's edge. Terrified, she sat up and wiped away the water. Her arms crossed in front of her chest and she looked at where the dark figure was standing... but it was gone...  
  
Only moments ago, Tricia had felt safe. She was sure that there was no one there... But now her heart was racing in fear. She was sure someone was there. She KNEW something was watching her. It seemed all the trees were hiding eyes now. They were all watching her, scrutinizing her every move and inch.  
  
"Jack?" Patricia called out, shivering in the water... but it was more from fright than cold. "Will? Elizabeth?... Anyone?"  
  
If anything, the silence that answered her made her even more frightened and now her heart was beating so loud, she could hear it pounding in her ears. She looked down and saw the water reddening. Immediately, she realized that her hand was bleeding again. Seeing the blood, Patricia jumped out of the water, wringing out her hair. She messily threw on her clothes, and walked briskly to the trail.  
  
Tricia's feet fell in fast strides, head down, but eyes not seeing the path she walked on. Her mind was telling her that if Jack was playing some sick joke, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction that she ran like a coward... Then later, she would castrate him for such a disgusting prank... But something didn't seem right. Her legs started to move faster. She could scarcely hear footsteps behind her but that could have been her mind playing tricks. She took another step and halted. Instead of the sand submitting to her weight and taking the form of her shoe, it remained hard. She looked down and realized she was stepping on dirt covered by grass, dead leaves, and twigs.  
  
"God... Please, no," Patricia murmured. Tears of frustration and terror stung her eyes when she realized she didn't pay attention and drifted from the path. She looked around but the foliage hid the ground and the trail was so thin that had it only been ten feet from where she stood, the trees, bushes and plants would have hidden it from her angle.  
  
Without another thought, she began to run. Her breath was heavy already from her racing heart but now from the speed she was running with as well. Behind her, she felt as if something was chasing her, its breath right on her neck. She looked back while sprinting, just to make sure nothing was behind her and didn't see the soft torso she bumped into.  
  
From the position of looking backwards, Patricia tilted her head up to whatever she bumped into. For a spare second, she saw a teenage boy's face looking down at her. She immediately recognized it.  
  
"Mack," she sighed, dropping her head in relief, eyes closed. "You sca..." Her voice stopped working at what she saw when her reopened. Her hand flew to her mouth, horrified, at what was in front of her and she screamed loud enough to scare the birds away from the treetops.  
  
It was Mack, alright. But it was only part of him. His lower half was completely severed, missing from sight, and it looked like someone had decided to make a scare crow out of him. A thick wooden pole went straight through his body, coming out from the ground, through what would have been his groin had it still been there and finally through his neck and skull. His arms were also missing and replaced by another wooden pole, going through one shoulder, through his back and out the other arm socket. She took a step back and fell backwards, landing on her butt and hands. She just realized that the ground was soft and she took a look at her shaking hand and saw that the dirt was soaked through with blood, streaming down from Mack's body as well as Dylan's, a few feet behind his. Dylan's body was also displayed in the same grotesque fashion.  
  
Patricia didn't know how long she sat there, staring up at Mack and Dylan as they looked down at her with lifeless eyes stained by blood trailing from the top of their heads. She was only aware of the world around her when Will ran to her, leaning down to shield the sight of the teenage boys from her eyes. Now all she could see was Will's wet skin as he held her against his chest. The sight broken from her eyes, Patricia began to sob.  
  
"Patricia..." Will murmured. Her arms captured his neck and he pulled her up to her feet. "Oh god... you have blood all over you... Where are you hurt? Come on, love... PLEASE tell me.. What happened?... Why are you off the trail?" His hands examined her face and body, trying to feel for scrapes but she just shook her head, pointing at some random direction...  
  
"I was bathing... and there was someone..." she sobbed. "I got scared and I ran... And then Mack and Dylan... They were just there... and Will... there's all this blood on the ground... and I couldn't move..."  
  
"Shhh..." he whispered into her ear. He looked up and saw Elizabeth frozen as a statue, staring at the bodies. "Elizabeth.." She didn't react. "ELIZABETH!" She remained dazed. "ELIZABETH SWANN-NORRINGTON!" That finally got her attention. Her eyes were teary and her face as pale as the moon. "Get Jack!" For a second, she hesitated. "Go!" Elizabeth turned away, her legs running off to the beach's direction.  
  
Patricia's face was buried on Will's chest and he could feel her tears mixing with the ocean water. Her fingers were interlaced like a knot behind his neck and she was shaking so badly that Will thought she might die of fright.  
  
"Come on, Tricia... we need to get you away from here..." He put one arm behind her knees and another behind her back as he swept her off the ground. He grimaced at the blood staining her dress and he started to walk off.  
  
Jack was out at sea, more taking a midday swim than treasure hunting like the rest of the sunburned crew. A few strokes nearer to shore, he saw Elizabeth running towards the water paler than a ghost. He swam in, curious as to what Elizabeth seemed to be shouting.  
  
"What?" Jack shouted back, unable to decipher the words as he was wading in.  
  
"Mack! Dylan! Dead!" Elizabeth gasped pointing to the woods. A few of the men, taking a rest towards the right, shot their heads up at the words. One of them was Gibbs.  
  
"Where?" Gibbs asked, getting up and running to the trees. Elizabeth led the way, Gibbs closely behind her and Jack just catching up. "What happened?"  
  
"I.. I don't know," Elizabeth stuttered. She stopped when she saw Will coming towards them, Patricia carried in his arms and covered with blood and dirt.  
  
"What happened to her? Is she hurt?" Jack stepped up. Will shook his head and just pushed his way through the crowd. They all moved aside when they saw the look in his face, a cross between anger and helpless apprehension. Elizabeth shrugged when they all looked at her and pointed past the trees Will and Patricia had emerged from. Gibbs was first to go through and everyone could see see the horrified look in his eyes, then replaced by reluctant acception a moment later.  
  
"What's there?" a man named Ruiz called.  
  
"Come and have a look because I sure as hell don't want to say it out loud," Gibbs grumbled. Everyone went into the clearing, every face blanching at the sight before them. AnaMaria turned away and stomped back to camp and Jack ran after her.  
  
"I TOLD you, Jack! I told you! But you're stupid head just wouldn't listen!" AnaMaria shouted.  
  
"Ana..." Jack shouted back. "This changes nothing. We are THIS..." He put his index and thumb apart by a centimeter to illustrate his point. "... close to finding one of the most valueable cargo in the world! Two boys down is nothing!"  
  
"LOOK AT THEM, JACK! YOU THINK THIS IS A GAME? THOSE BOYS AREN'T DOWN. THEY'RE UP AND BLEEDING!" AnaMaria screamed. "Something is at work here. Something a little bigger than your head!"  
  
"She's right..." Both pirates jumped, realizing Patricia was right beside them. She was hugging herself, looking dazed at the sand. "Something's here..." AnaMaria looked uncertain at the girl.  
  
"Are you all right, Tricia?" AnaMaria asked, genuinely concerned. "Where's Will?"  
  
"Supply tent getting me some food," she answered.  
  
"What happened?" Jack prodded.  
  
"Someone was watching me at the spring... I saw him while I was underwater," she shuddered. Just memory of the dark figure brought chills down her spine. Like always, Will came to her with some bread and put an arm around her protectively. The touch of Will's skin made her warm and relaxed again so she sighed, caving into his arms. "I KNOW he was there so I jumped out of the water and ran... I didn't pay attention and I went off the trail and I saw... Mack..." The bread remained untouched in her hand. "I can't eat yet, Will." He nodded, understanding, and put the bread in a leather pouch by his waist.  
  
"I want her out of here," Will demanded to Jack. "I want ALL of us off the island. It's dangerous. Something still lives here..."  
  
"Bullocks... I'm not going to be chased off by ghost stories about killer tribes!" Jack snapped.  
  
"Well then those stories killed two of our men," AnaMaria retorted.  
  
"And those stories are chasing our men as we speak," Patricia murmured pointing to the trees. Through the shrubbery, the pirates were being chased down by a group of what looked like dark-skinned Africans. Elizabeth was ahead of the pack and got to Patricia.  
  
"They attacked before we could even pull out a sword or gun! There's too many of them. One man's already killed at the chase," Elizabeth gasped. Will's eyes hardened and he took both young women's hands dragging them to the tents.  
  
"Both of you stay here," Will ordered as he hid them in one of the tents. He ran back out, taking his sword from its sheath and knocking a crude but deadly sharp dagger from one of the attacker's hands. "They're attack in broad daylight?!" Jack heard Will and he just frowned.  
  
"Well spotted, Mr. Turner..." Jack grunted as he thrust his blade into one man, blood spilling onto the sand, before turning away without another glance at the man he just killed.  
  
"Why don't we use the guns to blast them all off?!" Ruiz shouted.  
  
"Too many! I don't even have the time to take a step to the right to get to another of these bastards!" Jack shouted. "Just fight them off! They couldn't possibly last too..." An incomprehesible call was echoed through the opponent's crowd. A man, larger and taller than the rest, was calling everyone in. "... long."  
  
As fast as they came, the dark-skinned stangers followed orders and disappeared into the trees. They seemed to work faster than light because even their fallen soldiers had been taken as well. Will looked at Jack, confused.  
  
"What was that all about?" Will asked and Jack just shrugged.  
  
"Well, as long as they're gone..." Jack went off to several of the men, wounded. Two others had died, their blood soaking the white sand. "AnaMaria!" Jack ran off to AnaMaria, checking the blood around face. "You wounded?"  
  
"No. Just a little knocked up a bit.. But..." She pointed behind her. "They took..." She coughed out blood from being hit across the face. Will looked up and saw Elizabeth, sobbing on her knees. Patricia was no where to be seen.  
  
"Where is she?!" Will shouted angrily, looking around frantically. "Where is she, Elizabeth!!"  
  
"The man... he took her," Elizabeth said, apologetically.  
  
"What happened?" His voice was seething with understated fury.  
  
"There were two of them," she explained, unable to look up. "She and I both stood up to get away but one of them grabbed me by the arms..." She outstretched her arms to let them see the purple bruises, beginning to appear on the skin. "I told her to run but she tried to hit the man behind me. The other one saw caught her before she could even raise her hand higher than her head!" She looked up to see Will breathing hard, to control his frenzy. "He saw something at her hand... he ripped off the bandage. He sort of laughed and just hit her..."  
  
"He.. HIT her?"  
  
"She was knocked unconscious.. She didn't move when she hit the ground..."  
  
"Where is she now?"  
  
"They took her... I don't know why but they took her..." Elizabeth saw the fire burning in Will's eyes. He saw the ripped bandage on the ground and he gripped it in his hand, silently biding his fury. "I'm sorry... I tried to stop them but they moved too fast... I couldn't... I'm sorry..."  
  
AN// REVIEW! I BEG OF YOU REVIEW! 


	20. Chapter 20

AN// You guys rock! I love reviews. When Things Change finishes, I miss ya'll. Haha.. Does this tell you anything about where we are in the Things Change lifespan?  
  
Jacks Bandana, I'm not gonna miss you though. *laughs* Don't take that the wrong way! I'm just saying, you already transferred interest to "Prophecy". I still got a good six months ahead with you! *laughs*  
  
Christina! Thanks for the feedback. I love reviews. You oughta do it more often. *grin*  
  
Chapter 20:  
  
"I go after her," Will announced jumping to his feet. His eyes were so cold that almost no one had the courage to try and stop him... Almost... There's always Jack.  
  
"Oh no you don't," Jack said, grabbing Will's arm as he tried to pass him.  
  
"Get off your high horse, Sparrow," Will snapped. "You might have made yourself Captain of the Rouge but we're not ON the Rouge. On the sand, you don't have any control over my actions."  
  
"You think this is about my want to demonstrate my ability to manipulate you?! I'm not that shallow." For once, the drunken daze was gone from Jack's eyes. For once, he seemed deathly serious.  
  
"Then what is it about?"  
  
"That girl gave up her freedom so I can keep mine... You go after her, you'll get caught and Patricia could very well be killed by those bastards along with YOU," Jack reasoned. "If you love her so much, the least you can do for her is not do anything INCREDIBLY stupid to try in save her."  
  
"Then do you expect me to just stand here and wait for the damn commodore to prance about with his stupid soldiers?!" Will shouted, though he was a bit surprised by what Jack had said.  
  
"Who said anything about THOSE poncy gits?! They can't even swim!" Jack muttered. "I... and you, since you feel so up to it, go inside... We travel at night and see if we can find where those natives live."  
  
"Just the two of us?" Will asked, skeptically.  
  
"They'll follow after some time for backup," Jack answered. Will's apprehension was written all over his face. He didn't know whether to trust these men with Patricia and, not to mention, HIS life in this mission but he knew he had no choice. He needed anyone who was offering their hand in saving Patricia.  
  
"Fine..." Jack nodded, and turned away to survery the damage done by the impromptu attack. Will, on the other hand, began his silent countdown till darkness fell.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Nightfall finally arrived and Will was more restless than even in his life. He waited while Jack was supervising the last boats' trip to the Rouge. It made sense that Jack didn't want his crew to stay on the island with any attacker having the cover of darkness but Will was worried. He and Jack had no escape route. If caught... No... he couldn't of that now.  
  
In the shadows, Elizabeth came up to him. Neither had spoken to the other throughout the day's work. Elizabeth avoided Will's eyes, her unreasonable guilt at not being able to stop the man from taking Patricia eating away at her. The only one who had more on his mind was Will. Now she stood in front of him, unsure of what to say.  
  
"Get Patricia back for me, Will," Elizabeth murmured. Under her words was an unspoken apology and he nodded in understanding. On impulse, Elizabeth threw her arms around her old friend. "And you get yourself back here in one piece as well..." Will returned the hug gratefully.  
  
"You better come back with the others as reinforcements," Will grinned. Elizabeth laughed as she stood back and nodded.  
  
"You know I will..." She walked away, boarded a boat and drifted out into the ocean. Jack stood a little away, making sure that the boat was ging out into safety before retuning to Will.  
  
"Let's go then, lad," Jack ordered, taking his sword in one hand, the other poised over his gun. As they entered the forest, a nagging question escaped Will's mouth.  
  
"How do we know where we find her, Jack? Especially in the darkness."  
  
"The rocks by the spring... They pile up high enough. We go on them and look for light," Jack replied.  
  
"Light?! You expect there to be some sort of light at the end of the tunnel?!" Will scoffed, almost betraying his screams at what he thought was wishful incompentence in Jack's part. "There won't be any light, Jack! It's not like the Lord will be shining some beam of radiance from the Heavens to pinpoint where Patricia is!"  
  
"The fire, stupid!" Jack hissed, stopping at the spring, positioned to start climbing the rocks. "They may be bastard devil spawns but those men were human. They need fire to see around themselves much like we do now." Will was appropriately silenced. "Look, if you feel like I'm such an idiot that doesn't know what the hell he's doing, then I suggest that you head back to shore and swim your ass back to the bloody boat and I can save Patricia all in me onesies, savvy?"  
  
"I apologize," Will muttered, feeling his pride bruise.  
  
"Accepted," Jack replied. He climbed higher, stopping every few feet to look around. Just as he reached the top, Will saw his silhouette point. "Will!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Note where I'm pointing... I see their fires..." Doing as Jack asked, Will kept his eyes looking at the distance. The captain climbed down hurriedly and motioned their path towards where he knew Patricia would be.  
  
When Will thought he might have noted the wrong direction, he saw the glow of distant embers ahead. It looked like there was a whole village there. They neared the border of the huts and saw that there was a whole community deep in the jungles of the island. Children were running to and fro, attempting to catch each other around the huts. Men seemed to be scarce now and women were scattered about, gossiping, most pointing at the same direction.  
  
Will looked at Jack when he noticed their pointing and saw Jack looking at him as well. Both realized that something must be going on and that something just might have something to do with Patricia. They snuck around trying to find a way to see the event but the crowds were gathered too tightly at the borders and couldn't see the court in the inside. Though it was a tremendous risk, Will and Jack stealthily made their way through an emptier section of the village to the the center. They passed one last hut and saw that they entered a circular space of the village. Towards the middle was a giant pole, towering twenty, maybe thirty feet into the air.  
  
At the base of the pole, surrounded by onlookers, guards and who looked like "the leader of the pack", someone was thrown on the ground like a rag. Knees were bent and her body was curved into a fetal position as if the person, clearly unconscious, was bowled over in pain. Arms were pricked with dots, bleeding into the dirt. Will could see one hand and saw the identifying feature of the girl on the floor. A gaping cut was sliced across the palm, bleeding freely but slowly, a small puddle underneath her hand.  
  
"It's Patricia!" Will gasped in horror. He almost made a lunge towards the open but Jack held the cuff of his collar. "They're bleeding her to death! We need to go to her NOW!" His eyes were riveted on the girl, his heart beating so fast it was painful.  
  
"They're all here..." Will felt a nudge on his shoulder, pushing him forward slightly.  
  
"Don't bloody push! We'll fall in!" Another nudge went to both his shoulders. "Stop!" A final push sent him flying into the open, his body sliding with the power of the arms behind him. "What the..." Will coughed as dust flew into his lungs and burned his eyes. He twisted and saw Jack lying beside him, coughing as well then up to their hiding place. Three men, dark as night and decorated with markings across the neck and shoulders, stood over them. The crowd was silent.  
  
"I think we're in trouble," Jack muttered to Will as the guards took them by the arms and led to the leader watching over Patricia. The old man took up a spear, using the head to nudge Will's head up. "Yea... in trouble..."  
  
AN// Please read and review, you guys! 


	21. Chapter 21

AN// I'm sorry this update took so long! I recetly gotten into the habit of updating weekly and now takes me TWO weeks. I'm sorry!  
  
=Fiwen2= I thought you abandoned me! *joyful tears* and the end is inevitable. I would say something to comfort you but, spoilers abound, I'm afraid I cannot. *grin* But I hinted so be content! =Orliandviggochic= I'm glad that you found "Things Change" that... WELL- ROUNDED. =Gryff= Not to play favourites but your review meant A LOT! You were IMPRESSED?!? I ACTUALLY KEPT in character?! Are you serious?! Thanks for the review so much! =Snowflake, FallinWtrClaws, hophoplilbunny= are you guys new or something? Haven't noticed yo before. Anyways enjoy and thanks for the reviews!  
  
[...] Means that the words are spoken in another language and neither Will nor Jack can understand it.  
  
Chapter 21:  
  
[Who is this?] the old man asked the guard, restraining Will. His spear remained pointing dangerously to the underside of Will's chin.  
  
[A spy...] the tall butch guard answered.  
  
[And the other?] Jack remained still, his mind working out a way for a rescue and run without being killed.  
  
[The same.]  
  
[A spy, you say? Are you sure?] The old man stepped back looking down at the girl at their feet. Will's eyes followed his and the native saw the frustration and helplessness the younger one was feeling. [They are not spies. They came for the sacrifice.]  
  
[The sacrifice? Why? She is but a woman. I have seen the way they regard their women; as if the men were the gods and the women, animals, when all of them are animals themselves.] The guard spat disgustedly at the lifeless girl. Will's anger boiled again and he struggled against his captors.  
  
"Bastard! Don't you dare to do that to her!" Will shouted, twisting his arms to take a swing but unable to release himself.  
  
"Will, they don't understand," Jack said calmly. "don't do anything stupid that might get all of us killed." Will turned silent and squirmed a bit before ceasing his protests.  
  
[Take them both to my hut.] The leader ordered. Will and Jack were bound and tied, dragged across the dirt to the central point of the village, a straw hut surrounded by guards and poles, topped by fires, to light its environment.  
  
The inside of the hut was dimly lit by candles. The ground was covered by a mat, handwoven of dried leaves and grass. At one end was a sort of throne. It sat on a platform, slightly raised, and even in the situation, Will and Jack couldn't help but appreciate the work put into the intricate carvings of the grand wooden chair. They were thrown, prostrate, in front of the throne.  
  
"Right situation we're in, Jack," Will muttered under his breath, grunting in pain as the ropes burned his wrists behind him but continued to squirm his way out of them.  
  
"You really expected it to go smoothly?" Jack asked, trying to work against his own restraints. The captain looked to Will and saw some blood trickling down to the shirt. "Better stop moving... you're hurting yourself..."  
  
"Better me than Patricia and it's not like your hands are doing any better," Will snapped, seeing the spot of crimson appearing at Jack's hands as well. Before Jack could retort, the man they assumed the leader walked in, holding several stone bowls, and accmopanied by a woman who sat at the throne. He looked down at both of them, snickering at their bleeding ropes.  
  
[I see we don't need to cut them.] He put the bowls down on the floor in front of them and Will could smell blood coming from one of them. He fought against nausea and tears, hoping to God that the blood wasn't from who thought it was from. Using a dull flat stone, the man scraped some of the blood from Will, watching the prisoner wince.  
  
The liquid dripped silently as the man brought the stone over the bowl, watching the droplets mix with the herbs and blood. Aged and wisened eyes shone a sad smile before turning at the real head of the village, Adena.  
  
[It is as I thought, my lady. This man's blood and the Sacrifice's blood is one and the same.]  
  
[You mean by mother and father, Banlu?] The man shook his head.  
  
[Like that OF a mother and father. They have tried to make a child. This man loves our Sacrifice.]  
  
[So not all of this barbarian's race treat their women like cows then.] Adana laughed. [And of the other?]  
  
[Same as the others outside of the boy and the Sacrifice. No blood but wants to rescue the Sacrifice nonetheless.] Adena nodded silently, thinking to herself.  
  
[The Sacrifice weakens and will probably only last till dawn. The ritual will be over by then but this boy intrigues me...] Adena shouted for the guards to return inside and shouted orders. [Take the bearded one to another hut.] The guards nodded in understanding, dragging away Jack while Will looked on, a bit panicked. [Banlu, I wish to speak with the boy.]  
  
The old man nodded in understanding as well. Another mixture of herbs was combined in another bowl, stirred gently and ground by a mortar. Will watched as the man held the bowl out and Adena spit into it. The man started to stir again before pushing the bowl next to Will. His eyes narrowed in suspicion of what they were attempting but under guard, could do nothing about it. Following suit, he spit into bowl as well. A fire was thrown into the bowl and almost immediately, a smoke lifted from the bowl filling the small hut. Wil started to cough and he cringed at the pungent smell surrounding him.  
  
"ack... What is that?!" Will wheezed, as he was brought up to kneel on the ground by Banlu.  
  
"Natrysk flowers and other herbs, combined with our saliva," Adena answered.  
  
"Well it's disgusting..." Then Will started. He looked up at the woman in shock. "I... I just understood you!"  
  
"Yes..." Adena laughed. "Banlu is our very own... witch, as you call them. But unlike you, we find them useful and don't burn them to the ground. I find he can do whatever he wants to do with the plants that grow on our island... No one can replace him and he is our Holiest." Will turned silent, his eyes falling on the bowl that he smelled blood from.  
  
"Is that Patricia's blood?" he asked.  
  
"Patricia? What is that?" Adena asked sincerely confused.  
  
"The girl outside that you're bleeding to death," Will snapped bitterly.  
  
"Ah... yes... Banlu has informed me of your mixing with our Sacrifice. To answer your question, yes... it is her blood. Patricia, was it? What a strange name."  
  
"And yet I do not even know yours."  
  
"Adena. I lead this village and rule over this island and the waters around it. And you?"  
  
"William... William Turner."  
  
"Well, William... I'm afraid I'm at a loss of what to do!"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You see, William," Adena explained. "We have been on this island for over a hundred years... Our Sacrifices... Your payment for your fathers' sins against my own... are along the same number. Patricia is just the lastest in that line... but NEVER in our time has one been foolish enough to go after the Sacrifice. I REALLY don't know what to do with you or your friend, William."  
  
"Payment? What have we ever done to your people? We have never even heard of this island, much less been on it!"  
  
"Your forefathers brought me and my people here, do you not understand? We were all brought from our homeland across the ocean to made to work till our dying days like cattle. It is YOUR people's just rewards to slowly killed for that abomination. You can thank Banlu for that slow process."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"In our waters, we have planted Capuli bulbs. It slows down the body's healing to the point that it never heals at all... And Patricia happened to be one person to have gone into our waters while bleeding. Her hand, I think it was..." Will's face visibly blanched in the realization that she was right.  
  
It had been almost a week since Patrica claimed to have cut her hand on a piece of glass. The next day she had dove into the ocean, in one of her silly acts of randomness and found Abegnale's treasure. In that treasure, they found out about the natives and the men whose wounds didn't heal... His mind's eye saw Patricia's hand again when he noticed that it was still bandaged as he held it the day before. Only know did he discern that on the bandage was fresh blood that should have dried days ago.  
  
"No..." he muttered.  
  
"Yes... You see, Fate has brought her to us. We intended to cut a man and throw him into the ocean before placing him at our center pole as our Sacrifice but our men saw Patricia and immediately recognized the wound... She was meant to die, William. Had we not even captured her to make her bleed even more, she STILL would have died, just like everyone else... Now, at least, her death will be meaningful" A malicious smile spread on Adena's face as she watched Will hunch over in defeat.  
  
No, no... No! Will's eyes burned with tears, fearing that he couldn't save the one person he needed most. Even if somehow he could take her away from this god-forsaken island, she would die even more slowly and even more painfully and he would have to be the one to watch as her life literally flowed out of her in an unending flood. He looked up at Adena, staring at her with all the hate that his body could withstand. Then his eyes turned to Banlu, the supposed Holiest and maker of miracles... and his mind stopped the what-ifs, and his heart began to speak with sincerity and an idea.  
  
"You say Banlu can do anything?" Adena smiled, nodding. She knew what his purpose was and found it predictable but sweet.  
  
"Even save your precious love," she answered. "Heal her and make her whole."  
  
"Then do it," Will glared. "Heal her and set her free! She has never done anything to hurt anyone! This isn't fair to her and to everyone who loves her!"  
  
"But who shall be our Sacrifice then, William, my dear?" Adena asked, innocently. Will braced himself for his decision, his throat swallowing the lump of fear, wanting to escape as a scream from his mouth.  
  
"I will be your Sacrifice. You say our blood runs the same... I will replace her..." Will said his voice strangely enough, not shaking. Adena laughed.  
  
"You are an unsurprising man, William," she sneered before leaning her head towards him. Her hand brought forth a knife, its blade shining in the candlelight. "But you amuse me..." She cut his bonds and took his hand, palm up. The knife slowly ran the its razor sharp tip across the sensitive skin, making a gaping cut erupt blood red. "So I think I'll take you up on that offer..."  
  
AN// PPPLLLEEEEAAASSSSEEEEEE Review! Come on!! Please please please! I beg of you! I'm near a hundred reviews! You have any idea how happy I will be?! Do you have any idea how much I write and how often I update when I'm HAPPY?!?!  
  
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	22. Chapter 22

AN// Aww... I LOVE you guys! PASSED ONE HUNDRED!! I'M ONE REALLY HAPPY PERSON! Thank you! You made a very large portion of my life!  
  
Story Plug =Though shameless that it is= I posted a short story called "Hello". I'm plugging it here because it's a sort of spinoff of Things Change had the movie plot occurred as it had and Patricia's feelings for Will was purely platonic. It's short but I heard it was a real angsty one so *shrug* Give me a little feedback there as well.  
  
=Nevasaiel= You've been following and have only NOW reviewed!? I wonder how many others are hiding in lurkdom? Haha... no worries though. LOVE you for reviewing.  
  
=Yume= still more bones to pick with you! I don't have to worry about you killing me after this will I?  
  
=Maren L P= Evil? I am evil? I can completely stop writing this story and never update again. THAT is evil... but wait.. uhh *reads back story* oh wait... look at all those cliffies.. and im about to kill off a character! Fine! I may be a bit malicious but I'm NOT evil!  
  
NOT FOR THE QUEASY STOMACHS!!!!!!!!!  
  
NO MATTER WHAT I DO TO EITHER WILL OR PATRICIA, YOU GUYS STILL LOVE ME  
RIGHT?  
.... *crickets* uhhhh oh...  
  
Chapter 22:  
  
"Why do I feel like something's wrong?" Elizabeth muttered, staring out at the dark silhouette of the island. With her near perfect vision, she could almost see specific leaves sway in the night breeze. The sliver of a moon danced light on the waves and, from a distance, she could still hear them crash against each other on the sand.  
  
"It's just nerves, Miss Swann," AnaMaria reassured the less experienced woman. "everything on that island is under control for as long as Jack is awake and Will isn't separated from him..."  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"Adena!" a guard called from the outside. He swooped in, seeing his leader leaning over the foreigner, as she cut his hand. Without a word of explanation, he understood what had just occurred. "Adena, my lady." The guard came down to a knee and Adena stood up straight to acknowledge her subject.  
  
"What is it?" Will looked up stonily at the new guest.  
  
"What have you done to Jack?" he asked, placidly. "I ask that you set him free as well, Adena. You don't need him either. His mission was to rescue Patricia and once she's freed, he'll be gone along with her..." The guard stepped back in shock.  
  
"I... I understood the foreigner!" the guard exclaimed.  
  
"He has inhaled the natrysk fumes... He can understand all of us as well as we can now understand him," Adena explained nonchalantly. The guard regained composure and stood straight again.  
  
"The other prisoner refused to cooperate. We had to knock him out," the guard explained. Adena nodded and waved the guard away. Her smile replaced itself on her face as she looked down at Will as he stood up, watching his blood drip from his palm. Taking a ripped cloth from his sleeve, he wrapped his hand even when he knew the knife was poisoned with the same herb that poisoned the waters around him. The bandage would only serve as a tourniquet, slowing the inevitable consequence of what he has decided.  
  
"He shall be freed," Adena answered after some moments of silence. "And from what I see you are an honorable man as well. You will not try to escape... You know that the guilt of running away will kill you. You also know that taking your love away from here will just render her powerless and broken... dying most probably before you even make it to another port..." Will looked away, hearing the silent mocking laughter underneath Adena's voice. "You are free to roam and stay in your friend's hut to keep him company. Some water and bread will be sent there..."  
  
"If I can... I mean... if you can," Will stammered. "Can't you untie Patricia and take her to the hut? She'll die just staying out there all night before sunrise..."  
  
"She shan't die... Banlu is flawless in his ways... In her bleeding, the Sacrifice... well, the former Sacrifice now, isn't she?... she wouldn't have drawn her last breath until first light," Adena rolled her eyes. "But I guess I'll comply with your last wishes... Come..." Adena walked out, closely followed by Will. Banlu walked with Adena, his hunched back, a sharp contrast to the tall, straight posture of the queen.  
  
"Free her," Banlu ordered when they reached the town center. Audible gasps were heard all throughout the village. The guards hurriedly cut the ropes, handing their ends to Adena, who then gave reign to Will.  
  
"Calm, my people," Adena said in a clear cut voice. "We shall have our Sacrifice but in this occasion, there shall be TWO in the event of one death." The crowd murmured in confusion. "This man is sacrificing himself in return for the woman he so happens to love. For her life and for the people his fathers have taken from us... he shall die." Some were impressed. Some were indifferent. No one cared enough to stop the bloodshed. Everyone stood silent, just watching a repeat of history. "At daybreak, we gather..." As if on cue, the crowd dispersed and left Will, Adena, Patricia, Banlu and two guards.  
  
"So it's done then?" William confirmed.  
  
"At daybreak, you spill your blood," Adena replied simply. He nodded his head and bent down to gather Patricia into his arms. She was barely conscious but Will could feel her breath and sighed in happiness knowing she'd continue breathing after this. "Take them to their friend. They shall stay there till the ritual. Bring them food and water as well." The guards nodded and led the way.  
  
Far in the outskirts of the village was a heavily guarded hut. Torches lit it as it did the central shack but this one had a more dank atmosphere than did the former, which reaked of the royalty that resided in it. Through the straw door, Will lay Patricia softly on the ground, seeing Jack's figure at the the otherside of the floor, unmoving. The guards brought some bread and water into the hut, putting them down on the floor beside the the couple.  
  
"Patricia?" He tried to raise her to sit her up but at a moment's touch, she recoiled away.  
  
"It... It stings... Everywhere," she choked. "I can barely move." Her voice was barely above a whisper and Will strained to hear it. He looked at his fingertips and saw what was hurting her. She was still pinpricked with whatever they used on her and the bleeding hadn't even clotted just as Adena had explained.  
  
"I'm sorry, love," he replied in the same low voice. "You're cut everywhere but your face and neck, I think..." Patricia shook her head.  
  
"I'm fine..." His hand reached below her neck, safely raising her without her as much.  
  
"No you're not... You're in pain," Will stated.  
  
"Nothing I can't handle," she answered but Will saw the lie as Patricia shifted on her seat and saw the intense grimace at any movement. "Why am I put in here?" Her eyes surveyed the dimly lit shack and then looked at Will as if just realizing he was there. "Will! What are YOU doing here? Why'd you go after me?!"  
  
"You didn't want me to?!" Will retorted.  
  
"You shouldn't be here. You shouldn't have followed," she said angrily. "Leave!"  
  
"I can't believe you're angry that I came after you!" Will said in disbelief, a bit irritated as well.  
  
"Will, PLEASE leave," Patricia begged. Her anger was all too soon gone and her own tears of frustration came. She wanted to get up and drag him out of the village herself but even the slightest movement made her wince. "They'll kill you too... PLEASE. You have to go before they bleed you as well... and take Jack..." Will looked at her and saw her desperation. "Please... just go..."  
  
"No," Will groaned in exasperation. "I'm not leaving... and neither is Jack..."  
  
"They'll kill you..." she implore him, pushing him away as he tried to lean into her. "You have to get away from here..." Will just dodged her hand when he leaned in again, taking Patricia's face into his hands, gently wiping away her tears.  
  
"I'm not leaving," he said in a gentler but firmer voice. "I'm taking care of you just like I always said I would..." He kissed her softly, trying to shush to quiet sobs erupting from her throat. "I promise you.. you'll get out of this alive, alright?" She tried to shake her head but Will kept her head from moving to the sides. "Alright?" Patricia looked up at Will.  
  
"Alright," she whispered, not entirely believing it, especially when knowing the truth herself.  
  
"Now here... take a sip of water... It's dangerous to go so long without it," Will ordered taking a bowl of the water given to them by the guards. He raised it to her lips and slowly let it flow pass them and down her throat.  
  
"What's the point?" Patricia whispered, her voice less raspy with the moisture. "I'm dying anyways."  
  
"I thought you agreed to my promise," Will whined.  
  
"That doesn't mean it changes what's inevitable..." Sadness swept through her. "I was made to breathe these flowers... It made me understand every word they said and I know what's going on with me..."  
  
"What do you mean?" Will asked playing dumb, as he ripped the bread to the tiniest pieces.  
  
"Don't lie... I can smell the smoke on you," Patricia accused him. "You know what I'm talking about... There's no cure... No way to help me.. You get me out of here and I'll die slowly right in front of your eyes..." She looked away from him. "I'm dying right in front of you now! I can barely move, much less talk but I'm forcing myself through it because you're here and I NEED to talk to you..." A crack appeared in her voice and she stopped. Taking a few calming breaths, she continued. "Why did you have to come here? It only makes accepting the unavoidable that much harder!" Will bit his lip, not wanting to let her know of his deal with Adena because he knew it would make her upset even more.  
  
"Just eat something... please?" Will pouted. Even while the pit of her stomach revolted at the thought of food and her whole body stung, Patricia managed a smile at Will's pleading face, adorable as it was.  
  
"It won't change anything..." she sighed.  
  
"Just eat... for me..." he begged. Seeing that Will was holding food out to her pursed lips, she understood that he was pretty much bent on hand- feeding her as well so she opened her mouth up as he dropped the breadlings in.  
  
"You're such a stubborn mule," she smirked, remembering that she had called him the same name only a few days before.  
  
"Takes one to know one, love," Will replied. Patricia swallowed her food and shook her head when he offered more.  
  
"My appetite isn't exactly alive, Will," Patricia explained. Gritting her teeth through the unnecessary pain she was going through just to put her head on his lap, she shifted and lay down. "I just want to go to sleep please..."  
  
Patricia closed her eyes, learning her last memory by heart... How Will's fingers grazed gently on her cheek... His heart beating inside his chest above her head... How his breath caressed her skin as he leaned over her... The lips that kissed her gently on the cheek and whispered I Love You in her ear... And his tears falling from his eyes, dropping to her skin and sliding down like butter...  
  
************************************  
  
The sky was lighter. Jack groaned as he raised his head, blinking up into the dimness.  
  
"What the hell..." His mind was wandering through his scattered memories. The dark strangers, the man with the club... His eyes focused on the couple across from him. Will was awake, looking down at Patricia, who was laid down in streams of her own life-giving liquid. "Will! Is she...?" Jack feared the worst, seeing the girl so pale under the blood.  
  
"No... not yet," Will replied, his hands stroking her tangled hair. Crawling to them, he choked back a sob, seeing Patricia so near death's door.  
  
"Why won't the bleeding stop? Why haven't you cleaned her up?" Jack asked in hushed tones.  
  
"It's slowed down at least... I think the bread is counteracting what they did to her..."  
  
"What they did to her..." Jack repeated, questioningly.  
  
"The stories were true... Abegnale died from something in the water that wouldn't let him stop bleeding and Patricia was dying from it too..." Jack could hear the eerie calm behind Will's voice andhe was immediately suspicoius of the young man.  
  
"Was? What do you mean 'was'?" Will stayed silent, caressing Patricia's face lovingly. "William, what did you do?"  
  
"The only thing I could to save her..."  
  
"Please tell me you didn't..."  
  
"Didn't what?"  
  
"Will, I know you're a sucker for all this romantic nonsense and Tricia, here, must have a passion for that rubbish as well, but you can't play hero! Did you trade yourself off for her?" Jack demanded.  
  
"Yes..." Will answered.  
  
"Stupid bastard! Why?! They'll kill her the moment you die! And they'll kill me too! Are you so naïve to think that we'll be safe just because you bloody sacrifice yourself for us?!"  
  
"They may be murdererd but they are honest... They are doing nothing but try to balance the number of death baused by our race to theirs... It's nothing but revenge..."  
  
"Honourable revenge then?"  
  
"If there is such a thing..." Will looked out the window. He could see Adena nearing and in his arms, he felt Patricia moving to wakefulness.  
  
"I'm still alive?" were the first words that left Patricia's mouth. "Dying really isn't half as bad as I thought it would be... Does it make sense that you fell better while you move closer to death?" Jack couldn't help but smile at the girl's attempt at humor.  
  
"Not really since you're moving further away from it," Jack answered as the guards entered the hut.  
  
"It is time, William," Adena announced. Jack looked confused having never inhaled the Natrysk fumes but Will and Patricia understood though the latter didn't understand the meaning. She stood up confused.  
  
"Will?" Patricia's eyes widened. Her mind began to race as the guards first took Will and bound his hands behind his back. Jack was just poked at by spears as was Patricia though a heavy hand clutched her wrist. She turned and saw the soldier from yesterday who had initially taken her captive. Banlu walked over to Will and drew a line from ear to ear making its path across the neck. His finger left a lasting line, made by ash.  
  
"Patricia... just let it go," Will murmured. He was still beside her and he bent down slightly to kiss her on her hair.  
  
"Will?" Her voice was small when he retreated and she turned to Jack. "Jack, what's he doing? Why is HE being marked and not me?"  
  
"Don't tell her, Jack..." Will requested shaking his head but the pirate glared at his friend's son.  
  
"He's given himself up for you," Jack said disgustedly.  
  
"What?" Patricia exclaimed shocked. Will just shook his head and looked away as Adena led him out with Banlu. "Will!" She tried to run after him but she realized why the guard was holding onto her so tightly. "Let me go!" she shrieked hitting the guard on the chest. He just grinned maniacally down at her and began to follow Adena out, Patricia in tow. Jack followed reluctantly as well, though Patricia could swear that she saw a nervous lump swallowed at his throat.  
  
"A life for a life... And this time we have a bargain, for two lives are saved in the expense of one man..." Patricia strained to hear the sounds since it was taking place to another of the pools made by the stream. A crowd surrounded Adena, Will and Banlu who stood a little away from the stream. Will was put to his knees and he was looking up at the crowd, his eyes searching until they landed on Patricia, who stood helpless on the otherside of the stream. He gave her a slow and sad smile and she just looked back at him blankly. Her mind still couldn't process what the hell he was doing there on his knees. She didn't even realize that the guard had guided her across the water until she was standing about ten feet away from Will to his right.  
  
"Will... what are you doing?" she whispered under the loud booming voice of Adena.  
  
"Saving you," he said simply, his eyes never leaving hers. "You feel stronger than last night right? You're still bleeding a bit but it's slowed down at least... they'll give you the rest of the medicine after..."  
  
"You... you can't... how... Will, what are you saying.. please ... just tell me," Patricia entreated.  
  
"I... You know what's going on, love..." Patricia's heart started to beat faster and her tears began to flow out.  
  
"Are they going to sacrifice you instead...?" Will nodded, solemnly. "Will... don't do this!"  
  
"I already made my choice, love..."  
  
"You can't do this to me!" Patricia began to sob. She felt Jack's presence behind her and her free hand held onto his as she began to shake.  
  
"I'm doing it for you," he replied. "You would have died at sunrise if I don't do this..."  
  
"You expect me not to die soon after if I have to watch this?!"  
  
"You won't... you're better than that... I know you too well, Patricia. You'll go on after me."  
  
"No, I won't!" Her voice raised to a shout as her sobs cracked her voice too severely to whisper. "Will! Please... don't do this... Don't leave me now..."  
  
Before Will could answer, Adena took Will by the hair pulling his head backwards exposing his neck. All the pieces fell into place and Patricia blanched when she saw Banlu raise a bowl of herbs next to Will's neck. Adena had a knife in the other hand and was preparing to strike.  
  
"Adena! Banlu!" Patricia shouted trying to go after them. She could hear the snickering of the crowd at her attempts to stop the certain but she couldn't care less. The guard however grabbed both her arms and held her to him so she could barely lean an inch. "Adena! I'm the sacifice! I'm the one who's blood should be spilled! PLEASE! Don't... Don't touch him!!" Adena just looked up at Patricia, her sadistic smile evident on her face.  
  
"His choice has been made," Adena grinned. "And you will be here to witness his choice become reality..." Without warning, the knife she held just below Will's ear sliced cleanly through across the neck. The blood literally gushed into the air and spilled out into the bowl Banlu held. Patricia's stomach almost heaved at the sight and her cries were bordering hysterical as her body went limp. Jack fell to his knees as well trying to comfort the sobbing girl who tried to crawl to Will's body but she was pulled away by another guard.  
  
"Don't touch her!" Jack roared trying to come after the natives but the original guard held him back. "You promised Will you wouldn't touch us!!"  
  
"Don't worry. We may be what you consider murderers but we honor our word... The girl shall not be harmed..." Patricia looked on, wanting to go the body still spilling crimson as it lay dead on the ground. Much to her repulsion, Banlu came towards her, holding out the bowl.  
  
"Don't touch me..." she muttered, bitterly, feeling nausea creep in, smelling the pungent smell of the blood.  
  
"I must, young one," Banlu replied. He tipped the bowl over and slowly some of Will's blood dripped onto her arms, her chest, back and legs. Lastly, he dropped blood to the original wound on her hand. As he did this, Patricia started to scream in protest.  
  
"What are you doing?!!" she shrieked. The blood was still warm and it felt sticky on her skin. "Get it off me! Get it off! How could you?! This is indecent... This is... How could you...?! Fucking get away!" As if on her order, Banlu stepped back and the guards pushed her into the stream. The blood was washed away and as she emerged from the water, her skin had become flawless... almost unearthly perfect, not a blemish on the porcelain skin.  
  
Patricia realized that she was released and she ran to Will's side, falling to her knees. Her hands were at first hesitant but she swallowed her body's uneasiness and pulled Will to her. Her sobs began to increase in intensity. Her fingers, staining with his blood, grazed his cheek.  
  
He was still warm... his blood still gently flowed... His skin still retained its olive complexion but she saw his eyes...  
  
"Will?" Patricia sobbed. "Will... Why did you have to be... stupid? Why did you do this?!" Her fingers covered the eyes that lost its light and life... "Why did you have to leave me?" Her body curved in over his and her cries grew louder and even more painful to hear than before.  
  
((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))  
  
AN/// uhhhhhhhhhhhhh ohhhhhhh...... Hahah.. don't kill me? Just remember.. it's not done yet! Just review okay? 


	23. Chapter 23

AN// I have HALF a mind to keep Will dead... Haha... I averaged like... 6 reviews per chapter... I kill off Will and I double... *laughs*  
  
And I want to give a thanks to EVERYONE who's been spreading Things Change by word of mouth. Two people I'm aware of have mentioned that they came by Things Change from a friend and I just want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH!  
  
One Feather= Thanks so much for taking the time to read this through! It's over 40,000 words now and that's long. Much props and kudos.  
  
Maren L P=Will's handsome face might be the only thing that saves him in my mind... Haha.  
  
Prissylilchica=*grin*It's threats like yours that make me LOVE cliffhangers.. Haha. iono.. Masochistic tendencies?  
  
Youkai Yume=I am FAR from brilliant. Haha.. I just happen to have one REALLY sick mind.  
  
alphaneon=Brave... haha.. You have to be to face the wrath of VERY angry readers. hehe. and yea.. Retelling.. I used to be hooked on star wars. I did a retelling of that one. *shrug* And retelling the Pirates story as it was? That should constitute as a crime! That story is perfect as it is told!  
  
Jen = I'm a romantic! What can I say?! The whole dying for your one true love strings a chord with me!  
  
Piratey Elf=okay girl... breathe... it'll be okay.. Just remember... This is all just a story.. One more year and Will's going to be back and kicking pirate booty in PotC 2 and 3.  
  
Enelya = Ahhhh lurker!! Haha but then again... so am I to many stories.. so hehe.. you're excused from my hit list. Moreover, don't cry!  
  
Orliandviggochic = I think I DID just kill Will.. *bites lip* hehe..  
  
Mia = There is ALWAYS hope as long as the story isn't finished! That's my motto when one of the stories I'm reading pulls what I just did. haha  
  
Stun04 = I'm hurt! Don't leave! I'll make it okay! Promise!  
  
etheral_dragon = twists are fun *grin* haha... that's my hint to you.  
  
Nevasaiel = character abuse?! I never heard of it that way before! haha.. funny... Hmm shall it be fixed though?  
  
Elkengrove = sorry.. He REALLY had to die... makes things more fun!  
  
Chapter 23:  
  
No soul, no breath... The warmth was literally draining away at the neck. Her hands rested on his eyes, closing them from the world. Her tears mixed with the blood she was sinking deep into.  
  
No soul, no breath... Patricia Taylor was now an empty shell, weeping over the body of another... Her life was taken the moment William Turner's life was taken from him.  
  
She didn't hear the battle cries of her allies sound around her as they ambushed the village several minutes later. She didn't notice how Elizabeth fell to her side, her own tears falling for her friend. She didn't see the look on Banlu's face as Jack's sword ran through his side. She didn't feel the wheels of Mr. Gibbs' cart go over her toes as he rode by singing "A Pirate's Life for me."  
  
.................... Wait.... can we back this up for a second?  
  
Patricia's head snapped up and the world around her literally froze. She looked around and droplets of blood stopped in midair before splashing to the ground. Gibbs was indeed on a cart... a red one, at that... A duck in his arms, golden eggs surrounding him.  
  
"Patricia..." the wind murmured. The voice sounded a lot like Will and her tears fell, thinking she had lost her mind. "Tricia-love..." The sound swirled around her as she knelt on the ground looking around. "Come, love..." The echo started to indicate direction and it came from below her. Will's ghostly face was staring up at her, stained with blood, his mouth opened and her name's sound escaped passed his lips. "Tricia..."  
  
Patricia backed away terrified a scream reaching her throat....  
  
... And spilling from her mouth as she snapped up in bed. The darkness surrounded her and her breath was coming out in labored gasps. A figure moved in obscurity in front of her and saw the silhouette of an arm move towards her waist.  
  
"No!" she shouted as Patricia backed against the headboard, grabbing a load of sheets to her chest to cover herself. She had only just realized that she was naked except for a thin cotton nightgown.  
  
"Another nightmare?" Patricia's muscles relaxed as the man's face came into view when moonlight shined down through the frosted glass of her windows. Tears of relief pricked her eyes and she threw her arms around him.  
  
"Oh.... God... I just..."  
  
"Shhh... It's all right... It's over now, Tricia," he whispered into her ear as she started to cry softly into his chest.  
  
"I just can't get away from it though... all the blood..." The hair that grew on the man's face was long and the dark strands began to irritate her cheek but she couldn't care less. Patricia needed a physical body, something tangible to hold onto against the hauntings of her memories and imagination.  
  
"It's all right now... I promise..." His head retreated for a second to look into her eyes for reaffirmation of the promise.  
  
"Will..." Patricia whispered taking his face in her hands. "I'm just so afraid that THIS is the dream and that you're not really here..." Will bent down and kissed her softly and slowly, silencing her cries thoroughly.  
  
"That real enough for you?" Will kissed away her tears and laid her down on the sheets. Her arms loosened their hold and relaxed. He lay down beside her and smiled, amused, when she rolled onto her stomach to half-lie on top of him. "Your dreams weren't real... They were nightmares... that's all."  
  
"Are you sure?" Her fingers traced down the contours of his chest, her breath blowing across his skin. "Because I don't how I can be sure that at any moment, you'll disappear and I'll wake up..."  
  
"Then I guess you'll just have to not wake up," he shrugged. She sighed against his chest, closing her eyes and dropping kisses on the warm planes.  
  
"Then how'd we get away... How'd we get away from Adena?" Patricia murmured. "It was too hopeless. There was no way we could have escaped..."  
  
"It's not as hopeless as you must have thought because we're here now, aren't we?"  
  
"How though?" she pushed, wanting him to tell the story... just to make sure her memory was still intact.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*FLASHBACK*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Adena had started her speech to her comrades and subjects. Patricia wasn't really grasping what was going on. Her mind couldn't process Will on his knees, tied and helpless on the dirt.  
  
"Will, what are you doing?" Patricia asked as she was pushed beside him. She looked down as she said this, her tears forming behind her eyes.  
  
"Don't cry, love," Will pleaded, seeing her watering eyes. "It'll be all right... I promise..." But she shook her head in skepticism.  
  
"They're going to kill you, aren't they?" she continued fearfully. Will shook his head. "DON'T LIE TO ME!" At her outburst, one of the guards stepped up and slapped Patricia across the face.  
  
"Have respect to our Lady, woman!" the man snapped as she fell to the ground with the force. The crowd tightened with the new drama unfolding in front of them, especially since they could see the new Sacrifice turning red with anger. The captain made a lunge for the attacker, his own indignant fury seething.  
  
"What is wrong with you?!" Jack yelled. He was held back by another guard.  
  
"This man is useless and a nuisance, Adena," the guard snapped. "Please let me have the honor of ridding us of such an irritation." At first, Adena looked down at Jack, hesistantly as if weighing the pros and cons of keeping him alive. It seemed there was too much at stake as long as he breathed so she nodded.  
  
"We have no use for him. Kill him if you want to," Adena waved away the guard. He grinned and Jack looked up, understanding the gist of the conversation. He shut his eyes tight when the guard raised his spear about to strike his chest. Patricia and Will looked on in shock, unable to do anything. Jack waited for the blow but instead of feeling the spear go through his chest, he HEARD a blast off to the side. His eyes snapped open and he saw a man with a gun standing among the trees. Jacks' eyes focused and he realized it was AnaMaria! Evidently, so did Patricia.  
  
"Ana!" In the heat of the moment, the guards had lost their hold on her. She fought her way to Will and using adrenaline for strength, she tugged at his bonds.  
  
"Patricia! No!" Will snapped falling away from her hands. Patricia just looked at him, more confused than ever. His negative reaction to escape made her go pale and the adrenaline she had found useful drained away... so did the temporary medicine that Banlu had given her through the bread.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
The shot went through the wrist of the man holding the spear. Blood spurted and fell to the dirt as the guard jumped back in pain.  
  
"More of them!!" the guard yelled, not noticing the woman crawl away to the Sacrifice. "Attack! Don't let them reclaim anyone!" All the men and Adena took on their weapons, bows and arrows, spears and daggers, using them in defense of the new intruders. Though the defense was holding the pirates back to an extent, they knew it would only hold for so far. This time they were ready, guns and ammo at hand.  
  
AnaMaria jumped to the fore, using her sword to dodge and kill any that stood in her way. Moments later, she got to Jack who was crouching under the maelstrom of battle.  
  
"Jack!" AnaMaria cried out in relief. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Ana?" He put his head up and grinned. "I just KNEW you wouldn't leave me behind!" He leaned in for an untimely kiss but AnaMaria just blushed and pushed him away, handing him another sword.  
  
"Not now, Jack!" she thrust her sword over him, piercing the skin of a would-be murderer. "Haven't the time..."  
  
"Right you are..." Jack jumped to his feet ready to take on anything and anyone.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Elizabeth was making her way, decently as well. Her marks were naturally skilled and now that she was prepared she could go through this crowd like a knife through butter.  
  
"What took so long, Miss Swann?" Jack asked as he had swaggered his way towards her. They took a fighting stance, back to back, and Elizabeth grinned at Jack Sparrow's resolute cofidence even when he was literally two feet and adownward thrust away from dying.  
  
"It took a bit of convincing," Elizabeth grunted, fighting off a new wave of defenders. Actually it took more than a BIT of convincing...  
  
It seemed that the crew's confidence in the infamous Captain Sparrow was almost its fatal flaw. During the long hours of the night, Elizabeth had sat by the rails on the deck watching for any sign that their plans to rescue Patricia was finished and successful. Long into the dark, nothing stirred and Elizabeth felt in her gut that something was terribly wrong.  
  
"Shouldn't we be going after them by now?" Elizabeth asked Alleretto, one of the crew.  
  
"Nay, tis fine miss," Alleretto shrugged away. "Tis Jack Sparrow you speak of. If anyone can buy your freend back, it be him."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes. I be sure miss." He walked away, not in the least bit worried but a few ours later, Elizabeth was near falling off the ship in her effort to stay awake. It was nearing sunrise. She could see the sky fading from its navy blue to a cerulean color. Nothing new emerged from the trees and her instincts told her to convince them to go after them somehow.  
  
"Don't give me all this bollocks about how they're all right!" Elizabeth cried out as the deck began to fill with more of the crew as they woke up. "It's only a few hours till sunrise! They've gone all night!"  
  
"This Jack Sparrow we're talking about! He's fine!" DeMisse rolled his eyes.  
  
"I can't believe this!" Elizabeth stomped off to where Gibbs was emerging from a door, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "We need to get to shore..."  
  
"They finally showed, eh?" Gibbs yawned, walking off to the gigs. "'Bout time.. Couldn't sleep a wink last night, worry about those three..."  
  
"Glad to know I wasn't the only one then," Elizabeth grinned triumphantly at the others.  
  
"Huh?" Gibbs halted on his way and just looked at Elizabeth and the nervous faces around him.  
  
"None of them have showed up yet," Elizabeth announced crossing her arms in front of her. "I can't believe all of you! I KNOW it's your beloved captain that's on that island but isn't it at all possible that he needs our help?! Right now it seems at that all of you are too cowardly too admit that such a thought is even possible!" AnaMaria was off to the side, biting her lip and looking at the island. The apprehension that could be seen in her eyes wasted away and became determination.  
  
"She's right... We've been sitting here on our asses to long.. They might already be dead, for all we know," AnaMaria agreed. She began to shout out orders and a few minutes she had gathered a sizable cavalry and enough guns and ammo to take over another ship.  
  
They got there without a moment to spare. AnaMaria was the one who took the first shot, making it just in time to save Jack from death.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Elizabeth fought her way over to where Will and Patricia were. Something was definitely wrong. She could see Will desperately working his way out of the bonds but she could find no sign of Patricia. She wuickly steppe dup and with a quick slice, Will's bonds were cut. He didn't even look up to thank his rescuer. He just lunged towards one of the bodies lying, motionless, on the ground. At first Elizabeth was confused. She thought that the body was just another casulaty of the battle but she immediately realized that the dark hair was not that of any one native to this island but of someone she knew well.  
  
"Oh my god... Patricia," Elizabeth dropped to her knees, on the other side of her friend. "Will... what's with all this blood?" Her hand shook as she parted the tangled hair away from Patricia's face leaving a hint of blood on her fingertips. "What's wrong with her?!"  
  
"She's..." Will choked. His eyes were half-covered and Elizabeth couldn't see what was gong on behind them. "She's dying..." Will looked up and Elizabeth almost fell back with how cold and stony his expression was. "Take care of her." He placed Patricia into Elizabeth's arms and stalked over to Jack Sparrow. He grabbed the gun and looked around. His eyes found what he was looking for.  
  
There was an old man standing off to the side. He was watching the battle as an outsider though he knew he was very much a reason of it. Old and hunched over, he was weak and needed the help of a dark mahogany wood, headed by a glass sphere, twinkling in the firelight. His eyes narrowed and like that of a tiger, he went around his prey, not to be noticed until he had grabbed the old man's arm and twisted it behind him, a gun held to the temple.  
  
Will swallowed his fear and shame in taking advantage of a man not even able to walk on his own. His heart was racing. His conscience was screaming at him to stop what he was doing but one glance at Elizabeth's horrified face as she carried Patricia on the ground... He knew what he had to do...  
  
"Adena!" he yelled. Adena heard, for she was fighting a pirate near Will and his captive. "Stop your fighting!" Adena saw the man, at the hands of Will's mercy and immediately obeyed.  
  
"Everyone drop your weapons!" The guards obeyed. The pirates, not understanding what was going on, stood back bewildered. "Drop Banlu, Mr. Turner..."  
  
"Your Holiest, I believe?" Will replied sarcastically. His eyes glanced at the horizon... The sun rise was close. Though the giant ball of fire was still to show itself, its rays were already beaming from its source... If Banlu was all he was made out to be, then the moment the sun emerged it would mean... No, not thinking of that.. there's still a way to save her.  
  
"Yes! Now let him go!" Adena ordered. "We'll do anything! Just please! Let Banlu free!"  
  
"Everyone drop your weapons!" The guards hesitated at first and looked to Adena for permission. With a quick nod, they all slowly laid their weapons down on the ground. "Release Patricia..." That one Adena hesitated.  
  
"I'm afraid I cannot... The sun rises in minutes... It's too late for her..." Adena replied. She stole a glance at Patricia, still lying still near the ground.  
  
"No it's not... You said it yourself," Will said angrily. "Banlu can fix her... He can do anything and he can fix her!" Adena stayed silent, not wanting to deny what she knew to be true as well. "You take what's most precious to me, I take what's most precious to you...."  
  
"Do not succumb to his wishes," Banlu growled. "We all die without the Sacrifice..."  
  
"And we die without your magick," Adena replied. Her mind was torn. Adena knew that Will was quite serious about killing Banlu. The look in his eyes was bordering on insane so she had a decision. She knew that either way their village would die away. It was her choice to take what path. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Release him... Please Banlu... do as he says." Will wavered not knowing if Banlu would follow through but he felt the muscles in Banlu slump in defeat and he let him go, still pointing the gun to the man.  
  
"Get to it then," Will ordered. Banlu took one of the bowls, ready made for Patricia when Will was going to die in her place. Silently, Banlu hobbled over to where Elizabeth was sitting. Everyone stared in wonder as Banlu began to mutter under his breath, his fingers mixing the herbs and grinding it together. Elizabeth sighed despite her heart racing at knowing time was running out. The smell of the herbs was relaxing and sweet-smelling.  
  
Patricia lay immobile as she was covered with the green mixture. By the end, she looked like she was a moss-covered corpse, pale white skin beneath the dark crimson of her own blood and the forest green of medicine.  
  
"Hurry," Will said impatiently, seeing the sun just at the edge.  
  
"Patience, young one," Banlu whispered. "Make yourself useful and get me water..." He handed the pirate's son the bowl, empty of its contents. Will ran to the stream and filled it with liquid. Banlu reclaimed the bowl and slowly started to pour it over the tainted skin, starting from her legs. As the colors were washed away, her skin was revealed to be even more perfect than when she came to the island. As the water washed at her throat, Patricia inhaled deeply, moving in Elizabeth's arms.  
  
"Patricia!" Will threw down the gun and took her back into him. He wiped away the moisture and shook her gently. "Why won't she wake up?"  
  
"She'll be fine... She'll sleep as she recovers the life she had lost," Banlu murmured, standing up and away from them. At this point, Will was ready to throw a parade. His relief was beyond words. All he could do was just throw kisses on her face and sigh happily. He was just cradling her in his arms when Jack started to shake him.  
  
"Will..." Jack was a little pale when Will looked up.  
  
"What is it?" Will asked.  
  
"Look..." Jack pointed to their surrounding. All the pirates were staring around them confused. Beside them were piles of ashes, smoking as if a fire was just extinguished. Will's eyes scrunched up in his own confusion.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"They all just... They just fell to pieces... Didn't you notice?" Jack asked.  
  
"No..." Will shook his head. He took Patricia up and carried her in his arms, grunting at the dead weight he was under. The stench was now reaching his nose and he realized that the ash wasn't from wood... It smelled more like dead remains. "That's disgusting... We need to leave... now..." Will pushed away Jack and made his way through the hedges but another caught voice caught his attention.  
  
"Cap'n!! Cap'n!!" Will turned back and saw one of the members waving a leather pouch. Jack walked up to the man, carefully treading around what remained of the natives. It seemed that Banlu's words were true. When the tribe had failed in producing a sacrifice to their gods, their lives were taken instead... All of them... now just a burning pile of dust.  
  
"What is it?" Jack had finally met with the man and he took the leather pouch.  
  
"There's more in that hut over there!" The man's eyes was dancing merrily and Will stretched his neck to see what Jack was emptying from the bag. The sun caught the gleam of the contents and even from a distance Will could see that the contents was gold. "They have a whole room of 'em!"  
  
Patricia murmured in her sleep and shifted, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her head in the crook, connecting his arm to his shoulder. Will just shook his head as he looked back at Patricia. To hell with the gold... he had his treasure right here. He turned back and saw Elizabeth waiting for him at the foot of the trail heading back to the beach, where all the gigs were waiting to return them to the Rouge.  
  
AN// Guys!! I'm soooooo sorry for the delay. School has been banging on my door lately but I'll try to update as soon as possible. 


	24. Chapter 24

AN// I'm sorry that the last chapter was a bit confusing... What I can say to make it easier is that the end result of what happened in Chapter 23 is really just a worst-case scenario that Patricia had dreamt up. I mean that Chapter 23 DID happen but before Will could get his throat slit and, God forbid, he actually DIED, AnaMaria and Gibbs stepped in to the rescue.  
  
And I wanted to even have a FRACTION of sympathy for the islanders... The whole slavery bit around the 1600s, by our standards and beliefs now, was just wrong and the natives were just a bit vengeful. One of the things that kept me from writing a win on their side was that they held on to the grudge and was punishing those who were innocent of the crime. (That reason and I ALSO did not want to keep Will dead. *grin*)  
  
On with the chapter and don't forget to READ AND REVIEW!!!!  
  
Chapter 24:  
  
Will took Elizabeth and Patricia back to the boats. He watched as Elizabeth boarded a gig and he hesitated separating himself from Patricia. He almost lost her and everything else in his life, just minutes ago and he REALLY did not want to let her go now. Elizabeth saw the hesitation and offered to row the boat herself.  
  
"No," Will declined. "I'll do it... Just hold on to her..." He waded through the ankle deep water and placed Patricia gently into the boat, her head resting on Elizabeth's lap. Her hands refused to unclasp behind her neck and he had to use his own hands to untangle them and get her to let him go. "It's all right, love... Let go..." Patricia frowned in her sleep but finally relaxed her arms to her sides. Hurriedly, Will pushed the boat off the sand and jumped into it as it began to float away. They were halfway towards the ship already when Jack and his crew began to emerge from the forest, carrying heavy trunks and decorated with gold and silver necklaces.  
  
"Hey!!" Jack yelled from the shore. Will just grinned and waved back. Jack fumed for a second, knowing that their loot would have needed even that one boat Will stole to carry it all back to the Rouge. "You bring that boat back, Turner!"  
  
"I'll get someone else to do it!" Will yelled back over the crashing waves. He turned away and resumed rowing until they finally reached the Rouge and boarded the main ship.  
  
AnaMaria snickered behind Jack as he sulked, wanting to already be on his merry way.  
  
"You know, others who almost die are usually less materialistic," AnaMaria grinned, pulling her own weight in gold behind her.  
  
"Others who almost die don't usually find so much treasure, Ana," Jack replied. AnaMaria just laughed and began to pull her load to the remaining gigs, making sure that it wasn't too heavy to sink them. One of the crew who remained on the Rouge was rowing the boat Will had used back to shore and she groaned as she realized the amount they would be adding onto the ship. The trip back to wherever their next destination would be might actually double with all this new weight. She just sighed, knowing that at least, she would still have her freedom on water than be stuck on land. They would most definitely be stuck on land for as long as this new gold could afford the men rum and pleasure. AnaMaria might as well have enjoyed her last few moments on the blue ocean.  
  
"Where are we off to next, Jack?" AnaMaria asked as she sat on her boat, ready to go.  
  
"Prolly... Port Royal?" Jack grunted, loading his booty (*snicker*) into gig. AnaMaria sat silent for a moment, surprised.  
  
"Port Royal? Why not Tortuga?" AnaMaria questioned further.  
  
"Would you rather we go TO Tortuga instead Ana?" Jack smirked.  
  
"Of course not, but I'm wondering why YOU don't want to go there instead."  
  
"I do... I just think I'd rather have the comfort that the whole British Royal Navy isn't possibly storming into the tavern halls looking for their commodore's poppet," Jack shrugged. "And then to actually have her with you... Nah thanks, love. I'd rather enjoy me rum properly."  
  
"So we're dropping Elizabeth off?"  
  
"That's what I said, innit?"  
  
"How 'bout Patricia and Will..." To that question, Jack had to take a moment.  
  
"I guess it be up to them but I don't think they'll be staying in Port Royal..."  
  
"Then they stay with us?"  
  
Jack looked out over to the ship, looking at the windows knowing inside one was Patricia sleeping in bed, Will, predictably, sitting at her side. "For the moment, they stay..."  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
It took a near two hours and three trips back and forth to load everything onto the Rouge. Jack was grinning as if Christmas had come early for him and the rest of the crew had their own giddiness portrayed in their faces. Will was waiting for Jack on deck, much to Jack's surprise.  
  
"Why aren't you with you with your little poppet?" Jack smirked.  
  
"She's asleep," Will replied, making a soft smile of his own.  
  
"Ho ho ho, what does THAT smile mean, lad?" Jack grinned.  
  
"Nothing," Will denied. "But I do want to ask you a favor..."  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"It's pretty big...."  
  
"For god's sake man, just spit it out!!" Will hesitated biting his lip.  
  
"I want... I ASKING you to... I want me and Tricia to go back to England..." Jack's eyes burst from his head and he just stood, staring at Will for a second. Then, he threw his head back to laugh at him.  
  
"You are one extremely stupid man. Patricia will NEVER go with you," Jack laughed, mirthfully.  
  
"Why not? We can't exactly go back to Port Royal. We'll be hanged, if you'll kindly remember the reasons why," Will snapped.  
  
"I didn't ask either of you to help me out of that little tiff!" Jack shrugged.  
  
"You ungrateful little twit, so you're saying that we should have left you then?" Will challenged. Jack turned away, knowing he was being completely off base. "Don't turn around like a coward!"  
  
"I'm quite thankful that you saved my hide, but it was done out of the goodness of your heart. And either way, she saved my life, I saved hers. We're square."  
  
"I hardly call being knocked out half the night, while I sacrifice myself for her, saving Patricia's life."  
  
"How the hell did we even get to my under appreciation anyways? What was this about England?" Jack rolled his eyes.  
  
"We're not welcome in Port Royal any longer. I want to start a life with Patricia in England... In Southampton," Will groaned, knowing he'd get nowhere arguing with the captain.  
  
"Home of your dad, then?" Jack prodded. He shook his head. "She won't go with you..."  
  
"Where else are we to go?!"  
  
"You can stay at Port Royal," Elizabeth suggested. "I talk James to letting you stay... One of the few plusses of being married to the James, I'd have to say."  
  
"No offense, Elizabeth, but you couldn't get Jack one just for the night..." Will replied.  
  
"That was for only two seconds did I try to ask for his clemency. I can try all my life to let you and Patricia to stay. Not to mention, my passion would be more sincerely motivated..." Elizabeth smirked. "So what do you say?" Will hesitated for the moment.  
  
"I... I don't want to stay at Port Royal," Will confessed.  
  
"Why not?" Elizabeth murmured. She didn't want him to leave. He was one of her few close friends and she didn't want to lose him.  
  
"Port Royal is too... It's too familiar."  
  
"Isn't that a good thing, lad?" Jack asked.  
  
"Not anymore. I want something more than that and, after that night, my reputation will precede me! We can't stay any longer there. Patricia and I need to start over," Will explained. "Come on, Jack. Just to Southampton..."  
  
"What do you mean 'just'?! That's a trans-Atlantic trip!" Jack cried out.  
  
"Jack... please..." Will murmured. Jack groaned.  
  
"Fine.. But I'm only doing this for Patricia... and we're stopping at Port Royal first... We're letting Elizabeth return to her husband," Jack muttered. Will looked at Elizabeth in surprise.  
  
"You're returning to the Commodore?" he asked.  
  
"Why wouldn't I?" Elizabeth asked, her eyes almost accusing.  
  
"I just thought that... Maybe, after all this... you wouldn't be able to," Will shrugged.  
  
"Well, I am," Elizabeth answered. Elizabeth stared into Will's eyes, daring him to rub salt on the wounds she had due to her position in the social hierarchy and the obligations that came with it. Will could see the reluctance in her eyes and sighed.  
  
"I'm sorry," Will murmured. Elizabeth turned away, defeated as well.  
  
"Neither of us can change anything... I'd do with you and Patricia to Southampton... I'd love to start all over again but my position just doesn't give me that luxury..." Will would have like to comfort Elizabeth at that moment but a voice behind him made him forget about everything around him.  
  
"Will?" a small voice called. He turned and saw Patricia looking up at him, wrapped in blanket, awake but still as frail as petals. Elizabeth and Jack shared an exasperated look as Will turned to her and held her by the shoulders completely ignoring the inquiring looks around him.  
  
"Patricia... you should be in bed, love," Will murmured, smoothing down her hair away from her face.  
  
"I had a nightmare," she replied, leaning into Will's chest. Only then did Will recognize the old trail of tears running from her eyes.  
  
"Come on... I'll stay with you..." He put an arm around her waist and gently led her back down.  
  
Elizabeth just grinned as she looked at Jack, holding a fist in the air. She gave him a confused look and, once Will and Patricia were out of earshot, Jack let out a "Wa poosh" and flicked his wrist as if holding a whip. Elizabeth just rolled her eyes.  
  
"You're so childish!" she cried out, though a hint of a smile was still traceable. Just then, AnaMaria called from the upper deck at the bow.  
  
"Jack! Get over here and steer!" AnaMaria ordered.  
  
"Yes, love," Jack shouted back. He spared a glance at Elizabeth and caught her mimicking the exact gestures with the effect of sound that he had used mockingly at Will and now Elizabeth used it against him. "I am not..." he started but he was cut off by AnaMaria's incessant calls.  
  
"Go now. Your mistress awaits," Elizabeth laughed as Jack just glared at her whilst he stomped away.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
AN// Guys! It's almost done... Pure sadness here. I'm really reluctant to finish this story but the climax has already been spent and now I'm just tying up a few strings... Not to mention leaving a few for a sequel. *laughs* Yup! A sequel! That is if you want one... Cuz if you don't.... then.. 


	25. Chapter 25

AN// I'm sorry for the lack of updates you guys! I've been busy as of late. School's is definitely bearing down on me but guess what! one or two chapters after this? It's over! *tear* Actually... this was suppose to be the last chapter but the strings I was tying up got all knotted and revealed more strings to be tied up... if that made sense so be happy! Mini plot bunnies are elongating the story a bit.  
  
Some people call it dragging, I call it elongating.. *grin*  
  
Chapter 25:  
  
Darkness had set in and the evening's cool breeze was blowing through the window. Will was in bed with Patricia, holding her to him between the sheets. They were still awake and he had just unveiled his wishes and plans to move to Southampton and he was noticed the clear silence that Patricia refused to break. He thanked his lucky stars that she was, at least, reacting better than was expected. She didn't recoil from his arms when he whispered of his plans. She just tensed for a second and remained silent.  
  
"Please say something, love," Will beckoned, nudging her softly with his nose. Her hand reached up and put her fingertips on said nose, tracing it in the dark.  
  
"Your nose is crooked," she grinned. He kissed her wrist, lightly, and pulled the hand away from his face.  
  
"I wonder why," he asked sarcastically. "Could it be because a beautiful little fairy happened to be rampaging around our house when I was ten and slammed a door, quite literally, into my face..."  
  
"Not my fault," Patricia giggled. "You were the one just standing in front of the door like a house plant." Her fingers traced his face again and she leaned over to kiss him. "And anyways, I happen to like the fact that I've left some sort of mark on you."  
  
"I think you've left a few marks on me recently as well. By the time this trip is over, my back will probably be ripped to shreds," Will grimaced under her kiss and shifted his back uncomfortably. Patricia grinned mischievously.  
  
"I'm sorry, love," she whispered. "Here... I'll kiss it better." Patricia's lips started to trace up his shoulder but Will, reluctantly stopped her.  
  
"You're completely and blatantly trying to change the subject, Tricia..." Will groaned, fighting back the swells of passion Patricia had a talent of rousing in him. He caught her wrists and held it away from him as she was kneeling beside him. Her eyes were large, surprised that he was turning her down but, to be sure, she wasn't insulted.  
  
"What do you want me to say?" Patricia asked timidly, slipping her hands into his. "You're asking me to move everything... Shift every aspect of my life away from where we grew up... What for? For a little privacy? For no questioning eyes following us everywhere? But Elizabeth can fix any of that with the power she holds as the governor's daughter and the commodore's wife."  
  
"No... not just that..." Will rolled his eyes in frustration. "For a new life! Can't you see that staying will just bring us ruin. Everyone WILL be staring. We'll always be known as the two criminals who freed Jack Sparrow, kidnapped Elizabeth Swann-Norrington..."  
  
"Then this is about reputation..." Patricia prodded. Will slumped in defeat. The way Patricia was putting it, she made it seem like he was just being shallow and superficial but the battle wasn't over yet. "Will, do you love me?"  
  
"With all my heart," Will answered without hesitation but was a bit confused to why she'd ask him that now.  
  
"And you know that I love you as well?" He nodded.  
  
"I thought those statements weren't even in question..."  
  
"So it's pretty much decided though it's never been spoken that I'll marry you and spend the rest of my days with you and you'll do the same with me..." A lopsided grin appeared at his face, remembering his own thoughts that morning after they had first made love.  
  
"Of course," he murmured. "What are you getting at, love?"  
  
"You've been asking me to move for all the wrong reasons," Patricia explained. "Ask me to go with you just because you want me to be with you, I'd say yes in a heartbeat. Ask me to go with you because of us and how you want us to keep existing..." Her hands brought his to her stomach. "Ask me to go with you because when we say 'us', it might not mean just the two of us anymore..." Will's eyes widened in shock.  
  
"Are you... Are you saying... Are you?!" Will stammered, the palms of his hand heating at the contact of her stomach but she just laughed at his expression.  
  
"No! No... At least, I don't think I am..." Will sighed but he didn't know whether or not to be relieved that he was having a child without notice or disappointed that he wasn't... Ahh... too confusing. "Just one day..." Patricia smiled. "Ask me to go with you because one day we might have a child that you don't want to live under the scrutiny of gossips and rumors of its parents and I'd go with you, no questions asked."  
  
"Then I ask you to go to Southampton to be with me, to stay with me, and for the sake of what you and I might have..." Will repeated, obediently, though he was genuine with the sentiment behind his words. Her hand cupped his face and she raised her head to kiss him again, tilting their heads so that he could reach deeper into her.  
  
"Yes," she whispered into his mouth. Will grinned, his one arms wrapping around her waist and the other hand took hold of one leg, pulling it towards him so that was straddling him as they were sitting at the head of the bed. The sly look in her eyes returned as hands caressed the skin of his chest, resting at his belly, her fingers teasing his belly button. "You think your back can handle another round of my marks, Turner? Or will I be hearing complaints from you all day tomorrow that might as well stop while I'm ahead."  
  
"My back? I don't know anything of my back..." Will just rolled over so that he was lying down on top of Patricia. "YOUR back on the other hand, I'm curious, can it last the whole night?" As he said this, his fingers pressed into especially sensitive regions of her body making her own back arch in pleasure...  
  
*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*  
  
The rest of the way had gone without incident. Unless you counted the number of times Jack had smacked Will at the back of the head for making too much noise at night.  
  
[[ 'Selfish bastard! While the rest of the men are sleeping alone every bloody night, you don't hold that into consideration while you bellow and howl do you?" Jack growled, his hand smacking Will across the head. Patricia turned red at the comment and hid her face in the crook of Will's arm and restrained her laughter as well.  
  
'Selfish?! You're just jealous!' Will snapped.  
  
'Jealous, I am not, Turner. I can get more women in my bed at one time than you'll ever have in your lifetime put together!' Jack scoffed.  
  
'Yes.. And that explains why you don't have one at night...' Will laughed... which earned him another hit. 'You know I'm not the only one who goes at it every night! I sort of need a partner and why isn't SHE being shot at as well!?'  
  
'Because we all know it's probably YOU initiating every session...' At that Patricia couldn't help but burst in her laughter, remembering how she was the one who had woken Will up twice the night before just because she was feeling restless. Jack rolled his eyes while the rest of the crew started to snicker in their own mirth as well. 'God... You two ARE perfect for each other... Sex drives of dogs in heat!' He swaggered away, not wanting to know anything else of their sex lives.]]  
  
Of course, there were also moments when Elizabeth ribbed AnaMaria about where she spent the nights.  
  
[['You know, Ana...' Elizabeth grinned as she saw the whole debacle play itself out. 'I don't think Jack's being entirely truthful...'  
  
'What? What are you talking about?' AnaMaria asked, her focus suddenly devoting itself to making the intricate knots of the sails.  
  
'You haven't slept in our cabin since we left the islands... I hardly think you'd be spending it up here on deck...' Elizabeth took a glimpse at AnaMaria's face and recognized the emotion-less mask she put up when she was remotely embarassed. 'Ahh... I see Jack isn't really all that lonely at night, now is he?' AnaMaria's face turned pale and Elizabeth just went over to talk to Patricia, as she threw her head back laughing.]]  
  
And on a more serious note....  
  
[['Will, love...' Patricia stepped back from Will's arms reluctantly when she saw Elizabeth approaching. 'Can I talk to Elizabeth for a moment... Just the two of us?' Will turned and saw Elizabeth, giving her a warm smile. He turned back to give Patricia a quick kiss before stepping to the side himself.  
  
'See you in a bit...' He walked over to Jack who was leaning against the railing with Gibbs as Elizabeth came up to Patricia, biting her lip.  
  
'I hope I wasn't interrupting anything,' Elizabeth said, unsure. Patricia's back was not to Will and she didn't see the countless times Will glanced back just to make sure she was still there. Elizabeth, though, saw it, much to her amusement.  
  
'Not at all,' Patricia smiled. 'I wanted to talk to you, actually, without Will here to distract me...' Her smirk sent Elizabeth to silent laughter.  
  
'Neither of you can stop thinking of the other, can you?' Elizabeth teased, making Patricia blush as she shook her head.  
  
'Something about pining after something for eight years then suddenly realizing you have it makes the whole situation irresistable... But it's a bit mad how I know he's just a few meters off and I'm already... homesick, you can say,' Patricia rambled. 'Like... I want him to beside me for always.'  
  
'You're very lucky to be marrying for love,' Elizabeth murmured wistfully. 'If only I had that luxury...' Patricia's happy face crumbled and her sympathy immediately showed through.  
  
'I'm sorry... I didn't realize...' Patricia turned away, embarassed. 'You know, next time I'm acting like a blithering idiot DO pull a Jack Sparrow and smack me upside the head somewhere...' Elizabeth just laughed.  
  
'It's all right...'  
  
'You're really returning to James?' Patricia asked.  
  
'Yes.'  
  
'Then you are a much braver, stronger, more disciplined woman than me,' Patricia complimented.  
  
'If only I wasn't... I'd probably be happier,' Elizabeth replied.  
  
'So why don't you stay?'  
  
'Because my father wouldn't want me to.' Elizabeth looked up at Patricia and saw the brief moment of understanding in her eyes.  
  
'You had to play the father card, didn't you, Miss Swann.' Patricia shook her head, unable to believe that she was agreeing with Elizabeth's decision now.  
  
'You're the only one who can understand why I'm going to do what I'm about to do... My father arranged this marriage. He wished for me to go through with it and I will... I am... It's the same you would do for your own father. Had he asked you to jump in front of a bullet for him, you would have...'  
  
'He needn't have ask,' Patricia answered. 'But he wouldn't have asked me to do something that would make the rest of my life miserable.'  
  
'Then that's where we're different...' Silence caught between the two and Patricia took Elizabeth's hand in asking of a promise.  
  
'Do what you need to do, Elizabeth... I can't stop you from whatever decisions and actions you decide on but at least... PLEASE promise me this.'  
  
'Promise what?'  
  
'When you get back, you will ask your father and husband leniency and freedom for yourself, not for me and Will... You're putting yourself in a cage, Elizabeth... and you'll die of exhaustion and misery if you don't get out of it,' Patricia asserted. Elizabeth blinked for seconds, touched by how much Patricia cared now.  
  
'I... I promise...' Elizabeth smiled. Patricia returned the facial expression and let go of her hand.  
  
'Now if you don't mind, I need to go back to...' Patricia's statement was interrupted by an outburst from the person she was about to name.  
  
'THAT ONE WAS UNCALLED FOR!' Will shouted. 'I DIDN'T EVEN SAY ANYTHING!'  
  
'That's the bloody point! I'm asking you questions and you just grunt in reply because you're too busy looking back at your strumpet!' Will's arm swung at Jack's shoulder, hitting him hard.  
  
'Don't call her that!' Will snapped. Elizabeth and Patricia began to giggle at the side watching one pirate and a blacksmith argue over the latter's tendencies. 'And you!' Will pointed at Patricia and she pointed at herself innocently.  
  
'Me?' Patricia asked, wide-eyed, as Will stalked over to her.  
  
'You are here, standing, innocent as an angel, warding off any smacks from Jack or ribbing from anyone else while I suffer because I can't keep my hands off you,' he muttered. He grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her over the shoulders. 'I expect to be repaid for the pain you are causing me, love.' Patricia just laughed at Will as he began to take her underdeck yet again. Jack came up to Elizabeth who was rolling her eyes.  
  
'Seriously, it's almost disgusting...' Elizabeth groaned when she heard the door slam shut behind the couple.  
  
'But you find yourself jealous...' Jack continued. 'You know we're only a day's trip to your home, lass... You sure about staying on land?' Elizabeth paused for her answer, remembering the promise Patricia made her make.  
  
'Yes... I'm sure...']]  
  
AN// Review people! 


	26. Chapter 26

Review-responses/Thank Yous=  
  
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You know I would love to mention all of my reviewers but you guys surpassed 150! Just know that I love ALL of you to bits!! You guys made my days, weeks, months and years with your reviews. Know that you made my life a little brighter whenever you wanted me to update. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!  
  
Chapter 26:  
  
They arrived at Port Royal under the cover of midnight, stars their only light as the new moon had just waned and was still to wax into the sky again. The Rouge had anchored some distance away and a small gig headed by Jack Sparrow was drifting its way to shore. Along with Sparrow was Patricia Taylor, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann-Norrington. The latter was to stay and, those other than the pirate, were to get some business arranged before they left Port Royal for good.  
  
"Are you sure about this, Elizabeth?" Will asked her again. "You don't have to go back..."  
  
"Yes, I do," Elizabeth answered patiently for the hundredth time that night. "Norrington will go after all of you. You'll never have a moment's peace until I'm safely back with him... Don't worry too much about it, Will. I'll be fine." Will rolled his eyes and turned to Patricia taking her hand as he shook his head.  
  
"Why are you not even questioning her actions?" Will asked Patricia. "You, of all people, I'd think, would be the one most against what Elizabeth is doing."  
  
"We already spoke of this," Patricia replied. "We have an understanding. She'll be okay, Will."  
  
"No she won't," he muttered. "She's setting herself up to be suffocated for the rest of her life!" Patricia's hands took his when she saw how agitated he was becoming.  
  
"It's not in your hands to decide whether or not she walks into that trap... And just because she walks into it doesn't mean she won't survive it," Patricia countered. Her thumbs were slowly rubbing the top of his hands and she gulped as she readied herself to say some words that she REALLY did not want to even think about. "If Elizabeth wasn't so strong, you would have never fallen so hard for her." She forced a smile and Will saw the way her eyes flickered between her previous jealousy and hatred and the battle she was still fighting to accept Will's love for her. He quickly gave her a chaste kiss and smiled.  
  
"Ahh!! No kissing on this boat!" Jack cried loudly, nudging Will with his boot. "All that kissing leads to WAY too many things I don't want to know about when it comes to the two of you!" Patricia just grinned, apologetically. Except for Jack's incessant humming to a song Elizabeth had recently taught him, it was silent until they reached the sands of Port Royal. "All right, lad and ladies... Elizabeth shall be the first order of business to do away with..." With a flick of his hand he motioned the trio to a slow and hidden march to the governor's house, sitting on the hill.  
  
Lights were still shining through and they could see figures, lazily and slowly, passing through the beams of the candles. Every now and then a shout could be heard. At the front yard, a regiment was stationed, ready to pull through any action it was ordered. Though it was significantly past midnight, it was obvious the household was still awake.  
  
"... It's almost a month, commodore," the governor snapped. "Yet no man has seen hide nor hair of my daughter and your wife. Is this not the British Royal Navy?! Why has there been so little action been done?!"  
  
"Governor, I assure you, we have been doing everything we are capable of in trying to find Elizabeth," the commodore answered. They were sitting in the patio, the heat forcing them to be outside where the cold currents could relieve them. The tension however was from the ceaseless worry that lined the faces of the two men. No mere wind could carry those worries away.  
  
"But... it seems like... How can NO one see her?!" the governor said, almost whining.  
  
"She might have been on sea for most of the time... Maybe she was never off the boat... Jack Sparrow was seen in Tortuga a few weeks ago but his whereabouts are unknown now. It seemed he was off some other buried treasure again and refused to mention his destination..." James said, tired. "If we find him, we find her."  
  
"Elizabeth is all I have left, commodore. I gave her hand to you in the hopes that you could try to keep her safe..."  
  
"And that is all I can do but try until the last breath has left my body. Can you not see that we are trying?! All our resources are going into finding my wife. That is all I want to do now! Find her and keep her safe! But we... I am not inhumanly perfect... I can't keep her from all harm. I intend to do everything I can to find her, but if the Lord finds that I don't... Then may He give me the strength to accept that..."  
  
"Accept what, commodore?" a female voice called to the patio. The two men turned, the ranking officer cocking his gun and pointing at the silhouette in the darkness, in instinct.  
  
"Who are you?" James asked. The silhouette took a step forward and James pressed the hammer at the butt of the gun. "Identify yourself or I will be forced to shoot!"  
  
"Can a woman not even come into her own household without being held at gunpoint after being in that position for a month?" the voice joked. The figure continued its journey and it stepped into the light. The governor's heart skipped a beat and James Norrington dropped the gun he held at the vision before him.  
  
There, dirty and raggedy, but alive nonetheless, was Elizabeth. Her smile was timid... From an outsider's perspective, obviously forced but the two men were so ecstatic at seeing her they couldn't care less! Her husband was the first to reach her.  
  
"Elizabeth!" James cried out in joy. He put his hands on her cheeks, leaning down to kiss her and caressed her skin to the neck. "Elizabeth... you're safe..."  
  
"I am," she said softly, taking his hands off her face and held it in her own as she looked to the side to see her father sobbing just behind James. "Papa... Papa, don't cry..." Elizabeth didn't realize until that moment, when she saw the tears in her father's eyes, just how deeply she had hurt them when she left and didn't return.  
  
"My daughter... You're alive. I was afraid... I was so afraid that you..." the governor stammered. Elizabeth took a step to put her arms around her father and her own tears came from the shame in the realization she caused this fear in the man she loved most.  
  
"It's all right, Papa... It's all right..." They let each other go after a few moments and the governor put his arm around her waist, leading her into the house. James and the governor didn't notice the quick glance Elizabeth threw to the back, smiling into the darkness they thought was empty, her hand subtly gesturing the success of her return. Jack, Patricia and Will saw it however. They smiled at the happy reunion and the drifted deeper into the shadows.  
  
"Where to next?" Jack asked as they slinked away in the darkness.  
  
"The bank..." Patricia answered.  
  
"Won't it be closed?" Will asked, a bit confused.  
  
"Not to us..." she grinned.  
  
"Oh! Hooray! Are we robbing it?" Jack interjected excitedly. The couple looked at Jack as if he said the most ludicrous thing possible... (It WAS a tad ridiculous.)  
  
"No, Jack!" Patricia rolled her eyes. "One of the owners was a good friend of my father's.... You remember him, right, Will?"  
  
"Andrew... something ford?" Will shrugged.  
  
"Yes... he brought the cocoa beans to the house a year after we took you in," Patricia reminded him. "Tetherford." All three went into the dark alleys, Jack slightly dejected that they weren't doing anything very exciting. Patricia stopped at an old wooden back door and knocked on it several times. A few minutes later, a candle was lit and a light traveled from one window to another. The door opened and an old man answered.  
  
"P.. Patricia!" the man exclaimed. "Patricia Taylor.. Is it really you?!"  
  
"Hello, uncle Andrew... May we come in?" Patricia smiled.  
  
"Of... Of course. It's such an unusual hour to visit though..." Andrew Tetherford replied.  
  
"I have an unusual request... The timing seemed fitting," she quipped. She stepped in and Will and Jack followed. Andrew recognized the two men behind her but didn't bother to mention anything. He had known about Philip Taylor, his true occupation and the history that went with it. He only marveled at the fact that he was even in the least bit surprised that Patricia would end up on the same general course. What he DID mention however was the clasped hands between his friend's daughter and the boy they had fostered for almost a decade.  
  
"You've been wanted and missing for almost a month, my dear," Andrew said, amused.  
  
"You've heard of what happened then?" Will asked.  
  
"Of course... everyone has.. Two of Port Royal's most law abiding citizens, one in love with the other and the other in love with another who happens to the governor's daughter, are wanted for being an accomplice to the escape of a pirate.... I presume that's him?" Andrew pointed at Jack and laughed. "I thought you would do something like this... you and your father were never able to fit comfortably into the niche society dug out for you..." Patricia just smiled sheepishly.  
  
"Wait..." Will interrupted. His brow creased processing what he had just heard. "How did you know about Patricia... I mean.. my falling for Elizabeth was common knowledge after a year or so but... I didn't know about Patricia loving me until two weeks ago!"  
  
"My boy, you were the thickest young man to have ever stepped into Port Royal that had any of the gossips told you, you still wouldn't have seen how much Patricia cared for you," Andrew laughed. Will just blushed and stepped behind Patricia, his hand still clutching hers. "Now what can I do you for you, Miss Taylor?"  
  
"I need a transfer slip, Uncle Andrew," Patricia explained. "Will and I... we're going to Southampton."  
  
"Never to return?" Andrew asked. She shook her head.  
  
"Our part in Jack's escape is too much... We'd never be able to escape the consequences here," Patricia replied. She took out a slip from a little bag secured to her wrist. "That's all our savings... I need the transfer slip so I can access it in England." Andrew hesitated for a moment and then turned to a cabinet holding financial papers.  
  
"All right..." he answered. He took the slip and quickly wrote down the appropriate amount and notes necessary for the gold to be transferred to England. "Here..." The new slip was folded and put back into the bag on Patricia's wrist. "Take care of yourself, Patricia..."  
  
"I will, Uncle Andrew," Patricia sighed falling into the old man's frail arms. He stepped back after a few moments and looked at Will.  
  
"Don't be as stupid as you seemed to be, Mr. Turner. And you take care of Patricia as well. If any news comes to me that any harm has come to her by your hand, I will send Norrington, happily, your way," Tetherford threatened.  
  
"Yes, sir," Will nodded. They exited the building, Patricia waving at her Uncle Andrew one last time then turning away. When they reached the beach where the gig was hidden, Patricia hesitated in boarding the boat.  
  
"Come on, love," Jack called. "Light's a-coming and we won't escape safely if we have British vessels behind us."  
  
"I'm... I'm a little..." Patricia stuttered, her hand clutching the little bag.  
  
"Don't be... Don't even say it... Just get on the boat," Jack coerced. Will was just at the end, holding his hand out to her.  
  
"Board the boat, Tricia-love."  
  
"If I come onto the boat, there's no turning back," Tricia whispered, her doubts finally catching up to her. "I'm leaving everything I know..."  
  
"For something new and better," Will finished the sentence for her. His hand was still held out, steadily calling for hers but never reaching out to grasp it. If she were to come with him, it had to purely be her choice. All he could do was try to persuade her. "Don't doubt me... US now... Please... let's just go... I'll take care of you... I promise..." Will begged her with his eyes and Patricia slowly nodded. Her hand reached out and touched his.  
  
"Okay," she murmured. Will's arms slipped around her waist and carried her onto the boat, sitting her between his legs. His arms untangled themselves but his hand remained in hers. She smiled weakly at him, still a bit fearful of the new journey she was about to embark on, but a kiss from the man behind her was enough to ease them into excitement more than fear. Patricia felt herself warm underneath Will but the heat was cooled by the harsh splash of cold seawater.  
  
"I told you two already! No kissing on the bloody boat!" Jack whined. Patricia smiled, amused, as Will and Jack began to bicker.  
  
'_Yup_,' she thought, her hand at Will's knee as she leaned back into his body._ 'This is just another adventure... And anyways... it's a two month crossing to England. I'm pretty sure all my doubts will be erased by then.'_  


* * *

ANSo I bleeding STINK at endings! Haha.. but yes it is the end. No more 'Things Change' for me to write... But a sequel seems a good possibility since I haven't even BEGUN on touching the subject of their past and how it can catch up to them... Plus Barbossa hasn't even been introduced.  
  
Favourite chapter to write: Chapter 16: More than that... notice that it's the only one that has a chapter name?  
  
Least fave chapter to write: Chapter 19 and 22... I wrote it at midnight, in my bed, on the laptop, lying down on my stomach. My imagination was in overdrive and I kept feeling as though Mack and Dylan were looking down at me in all their zombie-like gory... I mean, GLORY. And who would EVER want to write about Will dying?!

_**It's the last chapter you guys. PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW**_


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